Municipal Election File, 2018

October 2, 2018
Municipal Election

ITA:

The Interior Taxpayers Assoc.
 

Last year you helped us collect over 2,000 signatures for the Borough revenue cap renewal, that will be on this year's ballot.

Unlike the bureaucrats, over the years, ITA has asked for very little taxpayer money, while successfully saving the taxpayers well over $500 million, between stopping the sales tax, instituting the Fairbanks Tax Cap, and keeping the Borough Revenue cap renewed. Here’s how it was done:

ITA, with the help of the voters, stopped a 3% borough sales tax in 1987 (which would have been copied by the city, had it gone through.) Figuring that between the two, we were looking at a 6% sales tax , ten years later we did the math and realized that we had already saved the taxpayers over 97 million dollars just from that one action! We were able to leave that discretionary money in YOUR pocket for you to spend on your family, instead of the government wasting it! In reality, the amount would have been much more, since sales tax would have been unlikely to stay that low. When we stopped the sales tax, the voters also helped us pass a Revenue Cap for the borough, followed shortly thereafter with the Tax Cap for the city. The two caps have been protecting you for 30 years now, and racking up huge savings in property taxes while ensuring that if the government wants to start any new taxes they have to A. Lower property taxes to match, or B, allow you to vote.

This election, the Borough Mayor and 7 of the 9 Assembly members want to raise the borough revenue cap – claiming they do not have enough for maintenance. We know better. Maintenance should be a part of everyday operations. Neglected maintenance builds up until an election and then they come to you. The tax cap is your only protection when we have a free-spending Borough Assembly in power. It is your only way to reign in unnecessary spending. They don’t even know how much they need, but they want you to give them more of your money anyway! This time they are attempting an end run around the cap, with bond issues and a request to raise the cap long enough to get millions of dollars for that neglected maintenance.

During over 30 years while ITA has been saving you so much money, the bureaucrats have been wasting money Here’s an example from the Borough: Remember when we tried to tell them they did not need more schools? They went ahead and built 2 new ones – now, due to low enrollment, increased private & home schooling, and financial mismanagement, they are considering closing schools This just illustrates what ITA has been saying for years – that the financial woes of both the city and the borough are not caused by a lack of money, but by a lack of good management.

When the voters instituted the caps, both the city and borough claimed they would destroy services, like pools, libraries, and schools, etc. In no time at all, it become apparent that the threats were just scare tactics – no services were lost!

Here are some examples of the compensation packages at the borough – especially note the totals when benefits are added in!Z(to be added)

Endorsements from the Interior Taxpayers Assoc.

The actions of the Borough Mayor and most of the Assembly, are good examples of why it is so important to do your research and vote good people into office!

Here are our suggestions for October 2.  TO BE ADDED AFTER OUR FORUM ON SEPTEMBER 18.

Endorsements here in a clip out box: Lower right of ad 

City Council:

   Seat A: 

   Seat B:

   Seat D:

City Propositions:

   A 

   B 

Borough Mayor:

Borough Assembly:

   Seat A: 

   Seat F: 

   Seat G:

Borough Proposition

   1:

  2:

  3:

This communication was paid for by the Interior Taxpayers’ Association, Inc., Fairbanks, AK, Donna Gilbert, President, who has approved this message. The 3 top contributors of ITA this election season are Donna Gilbert, Lee DeSpain, and Ann Roberts, all of Fairbanks. This NOTICE TO VOTERS is required by Alaska law. We certify that this communication is not authorized, paid for, or approved by any candidate.

[Tax Cap Explanation]

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