Alaska legislators

[mitgreb]

The sea food industry is mostly an outside interest that the state should tax heavily for non residents.......

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by mitgreb

The sea food industry is mostly an outside interest that the state should tax heavily for non residents.......

What makes you think they don't?

They do.

And some of us choose to pay a VOLUNTARY tax over that because we want nice things and care about the quality of life of our friends and neighbors.

The seafood industry isn't exactly an "outside interest," it's just specific to the North Pacific rather than just Alaska. It also contributes a little over 6 billion each year to the Alaskan economy alone, so it's no small player on Alaska's economic landscape.

Nonetheless, most Alaskans wouldn't even have jobs if it weren't for "outside interests."

Just curious, mitgreb -- how many jobs do you provide Alaskan residents with?

Oh, and I doubt that you know this, but the seafood industry is probably less of an "outside interest" than oil, mining, and tourism.

[BusyMeAK]

If the UA closed its PE and couple of other depts, half of funding problems would be solved. And yes, some stupid things like COOP program should go, too. The useless Museum of North should be transformed into a business incubator and a good restaurant with a view.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Dakster

pretty soon there will be a tax paying public Met...

And the gravy train didn't stop, it's derailed, crashed, and burning.

Hopefully, you and your family will be able to ride it out and stay. I know it's been a dream of yours for a long time.

The frustrating thing for some of us, though, is that we saw this coming years ago, but we were shouted down when we tried to speak up.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by mitgreb

The sea food industry is mostly an outside interest that the state should tax heavily for non residents.......

I was just curious if you could enlighten about how the seafood industry isn't taxed in Alaska. Oh, that's right, you can't because you have less than a clue of what you're talking about.

Some of you like to cry ad nauseum about outside interests (and the ones who cry the loudest tend to be those newest to the state), but the biggest drain on Alaska's coffers is its residents.

It's hilarious how some of you cry for more taxation on the industries that have been supporting Alaska for over a century yet bawl a river at the thought of paying a state income tax. Hypocrites. It's all great as long as someone else pays your way, isn't it?

[Music_Man]

I have paid a state income tax. I think they did away with it in the early 80's?

[Metlakatla]

Alaska eliminated the state income tax in 1980. The same time frame in which Juneau started buying off the citizens with "the check." Most people here don't understand that, though, and act like a state income tax would be some sort of infringement on their "rights." The average working person in Alaska uses way more tax dollars than they pay in, yet their sense of entitlement is nothing short of amazing.

Everyone from snowmachine retailers to meth dealers rub their hands together in greedy glee every autumn because they know that PFD is right around the corner.

Alaska used to be better than that.