Now that I’m having to use my creative outlet of writing under advice to avoid topics concerning my local and state governments, sometimes finding something else to write about can be quite the challenge. I am naturally drawn to topics that more directly affect me, my family and my friends, thus why I’ve concentrated on local, regional and state topics. Whether you agree with my positions on issues, I still have the right to publish my views on them as long as I am civil and factual. For example… the taxation issue that I’ve brought up many times before.
Yes, the government needs funding and I strongly believe that if they want to take that funding from people that have already paid income taxes, local governments should diligently strive to constrain spending so that it does not exceed their legal income. If the local government is mandated to spend more money than it has, it should first seek full-relief from the entity that is mandating any spending. The next course of action is to draw up a responsible and detailed fiscal plan and present it in-full to the constituents. Then if more funding is needed and the government decides to use taxation to acquire it… they must follow the prescribed method by which to enact a taxation schedule.
The State of Alaska Statutes clearly states that modifications and additional taxes must be approved by a majority of the Voters in a public Referendum and the City of Dillingham Municipal Code references this exact statute. But this is not how things operate here in Dillingham Alaska. Despite the fact that this has been brought to the attention of the Mayor, City Council and Manager’s office many times before, not one thing has been done to remedy this fault.
Why is that?