What Alaskans should expect from the Trump Administration on resource development, the next Legislature will face some serious budget challenges & more about how Alaska should address outmigration
I have just listened to your segment on why people are moving out of Alaska and I can see your points somewhat but I do think that you should actually try to survey the people who are leaving before you decide that their leaving means we could institute a state sales tax and have a stable PFD amount and this would keep people from leaving. I'd like to see that survey on what these people are looking for by moving BEFORE we institute some tax we think will fix our problems of out migration.
Thank you for your note and I appreciate your point. Keep in mind, however, that substituting the ultra broad sales tax proposed by Rep. Carpenter last session for PFD cuts' would result in an increase in income (or reduction in tax) for 95% of Alaska families (see our Oct 4 column, "A relook at sales taxes"). So even if some variation of "family economics/cost of living" was not at the very top of the list of any given survey, improving the economics of 95% of Alaska families should be more than enough reason itself to push forward on the approach regardless. Our segment on Tuesday was not intended to suggest that curbing outmigration was the only reason to make the substitution, but an additional one on top of those already existing.
Regardless, thank you for listening, and even more, for taking the time to follow up. We appreciate the opportunity to continue the discussion.
Thanks, I will look at the October 4 column. I am very interested in making Alaska a good place to live. This place offers so much more independence, in my opinion, than the lower 48.
I have just listened to your segment on why people are moving out of Alaska and I can see your points somewhat but I do think that you should actually try to survey the people who are leaving before you decide that their leaving means we could institute a state sales tax and have a stable PFD amount and this would keep people from leaving. I'd like to see that survey on what these people are looking for by moving BEFORE we institute some tax we think will fix our problems of out migration.
Thank you for your note and I appreciate your point. Keep in mind, however, that substituting the ultra broad sales tax proposed by Rep. Carpenter last session for PFD cuts' would result in an increase in income (or reduction in tax) for 95% of Alaska families (see our Oct 4 column, "A relook at sales taxes"). So even if some variation of "family economics/cost of living" was not at the very top of the list of any given survey, improving the economics of 95% of Alaska families should be more than enough reason itself to push forward on the approach regardless. Our segment on Tuesday was not intended to suggest that curbing outmigration was the only reason to make the substitution, but an additional one on top of those already existing.
Regardless, thank you for listening, and even more, for taking the time to follow up. We appreciate the opportunity to continue the discussion.
Thanks, I will look at the October 4 column. I am very interested in making Alaska a good place to live. This place offers so much more independence, in my opinion, than the lower 48.