FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s rural schools are on track to access faster interne [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Walker Sees Hope For His Tax Plan
By Sentinel Staff
Gov. Bill Walker says he sees the possibility of compromise between the state House and Senate in the upcoming special session on his proposal to fund state government with a 1.5 percent wage tax.
“It’s do-able, he said in an interview with local reporters Tuesday.
Gov. Bill Walker shakes hands with Sitkan Lily Herwald at Beak Restaurant Wednesday afternoon. Walker, his wife, Donna, standing next to him, and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott, left, held the campaign rally while in town for the Alaska Chamber of Commerce Fall Forum. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
“I’m no fan of taxes,” he said, but added that the failure to raise revenue will be pink slips for state employees and teachers and “the marine highway schedule coming out late because there is no budget.”
“The state has not had a balanced budget since 2012,” he said. “We have now drained $13 billion from our savings accounts while we wait to make these difficult decisions.
“This year we will go through the Constitutional Budget Reserve, and the only thing after that is the earnings of the Permanent Fund.”
The House passed a revenue bill this year, but the Senate failed to take action. Walker said he’s encouraged that a version of his latest tax proposal was suggested by a leader in the Senate’s Republican majority, and that while nobody says they love it, he sees a chance for passage.
Despite the ongoing impasse, he said it has been helpful that he works well with legislators on both sides of the aisle. “I am the only independent governor in all 50 states,” he said.
He said he has called four special sessions so far this year “because we need to get on with the job of achieving budget certainty for this year and the next year – that we’re going to have revenue for the services we provide. Alaskans deserve the comfort of knowing their fiscal house is in order.”
As for SB54, the second item on the special session agenda, Walker said he went against his own rule of taking one issue at a time because “Alaskans are very concerned about their safety.”
SB54 has already been passed by the Senate. If approved by the House “it will give judges and prosecutors more tools they can work with as a deterrent to those who commit crimes,” Walker said.
Asked about his administration’s stance on the EPA’s decision to consider reopening the environmental permitting process for the Pebble Mine, Walker said he has not made an official statement on the issue.
However, he said, he believes that “if we have a renewable resource that is in competition with a non-renewable resource, I am in favor of the renewable.” He added, “I am supportive of mining, very much, but not mining in that location.”
During his two-day visit to Sitka the governor attended the state Chamber of Commerce convention, met with constituent groups and attended a fund-raising event at the Beak Restaurant.
Walker is not a frequent visitor to Sitka, but he and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott will be back next week for the Sesquicentennial Alaska Day celebration.
He and Mallott have already declared as candidates for re-election in 2018. In answer to a reporter’s question, he explained that he is dividing his travel expenses between official business and his re-election campaign for separate accounting.
As in their successful bid for office four years ago, both Walker and Mallott are required to submit petitions signed by 3,000 voters in order to be on the primary ballot as independents in their respective races. Unless either loses in the primary, they will be on the ballot as a team in the general election.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....