There’s been a lot of talk during this mayoral race about property and sales tax exemptions provided to seniors. These benefits are very important for some seniors to get by and they need to be helped.
But other seniors are doing quite well. They get generous pensions, sometimes double-dipping. While they deserve everything they earned, they are also able to pay their share of the city’s expenses.
I worry how this affects struggling young families who bear the full burden of the sales and property taxes, and who are not in line to get the defined benefit pensions many seniors were granted. Taxing them, but not wealthier seniors, is unfair since we all depend on city services like plowed roads, the police and firefighters.
Some criticize the Assembly’s actions to scale back these benefits in order to protect other needed services. But they kept sales tax exemptions on food, utilities and heating oil, and a rebate for those who really needed it.
For the others, if you love this city as I do take some responsibility for the services you receive. I am a retired senior and I support Karen Crane for mayor.
Mary Watson
Juneau