I have been a Juneau resident for 35 years. For over 20 years I have owned my own home. I have been a single mother and for a while did it all on my own. That is including keeping up a house, raising my child, paying off a mortgage and making ends meet. I am now remarried but life has been a struggle making it in an expensive Alaska city. My husband is retired Coast Guard and has worked hard for where he is in life. We are by no means wealthy.
When we retired we decided, for now, to stay in Juneau. We weighed all the options to see if we should leave. We are here for now. But things are changing. Senior citizens and others are leaving.
When the Assembly decided to take away some senior tax benefits, I went to many of the meetings. The Assembly chambers were overflowing. Many begged to be heard. Most of the Assembly came back overwhelmingly to take some benefits away. Yet I have watched the Assembly spend money on things I think are very frivolous. In my life, I have had to watch money very closely sometimes and I was hoping the city would do that, too. Instead, they have made it so hard on some people they have had to leave town. Seniors are on a fixed income. It doesn’t go up often.
In the meantime, we seniors volunteer to babysit for free to help others who struggle. Many seniors spend quite a bit of time volunteering to help others. We help with food banks.
I feel the Assembly does not recognize our efforts. I think there needs to be a change in the three Assemblymembers who have been behind these decisions who are up for reelection. I think we very badly need some new guidance.
Vicki Torrella,
Juneau