Inside Opinion

If you have questions about how the Daily News makes editorial decisions, this blog has the answers. Editorial page editor Matt Zencey and writers Frank Gerjevic and Rosemary Shinohara will discuss what they're working on, answer questions and ask your perspective on issues facing Alaska.


Matt Zencey

Matt Zencey joined the Daily News as an editorial writer in 1985 and was named editorial page editor in May 2007. He has won several. "Best editorial writing" awards from the Alaska Press Club and was a Nieman Fellow in Journalism at Harvard University. He lives on the west side of Anchorage, where he enjoys the best weather in town and easy access to the Coastal Trail. E-mail Matt at mzencey@adn.com

Frank Gerjevic

Frank Gerjevic has worked at the Daily News since 1978, where he's been sports editor, copy editor, reporter and columnist. He's been an editorial writer since 1998. He began his newspaper career with the Anchorage Times in 1975. E-mail Frank at fgerjevic@adn.com

Rosemary Shinohara

Rosemary Shinohara is an editorial writer who has lived most of her life in Alaska. She has spent most of her career as a reporter or editor at the Daily News. She covered construction of the Alaska oil pipeline, the Legislature, schools and urban affairs. She has also been an editor for NPR's All Things Considered, and has written for the Associated Press. E-mail Rosemary at rshinohara.com

"I dare ADN to publish this." - 5/13/2008 8:42 am

Looking to save on gas and ride the bus? - 5/12/2008 9:35 am

Joe Contraire's latest, coming soon - 5/9/2008 2:41 pm

Sarcasm? Hah! A non-fan writes in.... - 5/9/2008 11:48 am

Who's accountable for ADN editorials? - 5/7/2008 11:14 am

Talk radio: Dittoheads vs liberals - 5/7/2008 11:01 am

More info and commentary on John McCain's health care 'plan' - 5/1/2008 6:29 pm

Join the dialogue on race and diversity - 4/30/2008 4:44 pm

How can our community as a whole combat prejudice and discrimination? - 4/30/2008 4:42 pm

What can an individual do about prejudice? - 4/30/2008 4:39 pm

Prejudice here - getting better or worse? - 4/30/2008 4:37 pm

Prejudice and discrimination: How are we doing in Anchorage? - 4/30/2008 4:36 pm

Not-so elevated discourse - 4/28/2008 4:20 pm

Elevated discourse - 4/28/2008 10:44 am

Yin and Yang - 4/25/2008 6:00 pm

UAA vs UAF - 4/24/2008 3:59 pm

Arctic Power demands retraction re Liddy - 4/23/2008 6:04 pm

Airport expansion vs. Kincaid trails - 4/23/2008 10:20 am

About the First Amendment - 4/23/2008 9:52 am

Irwin rips Exxon, partners on Point Thomson - 4/22/2008 5:25 pm

Tesche heads into the sunset - 4/22/2008 4:52 pm

Good words from Leonard Pitts - 4/22/2008 3:25 pm

Your taxes and the bond props

From Rosemary Shinohara:
Our editorial board got some numbers from the city and from Anchorage Tomorrow, the support group for Anchorage bond proposititions, on how much the bonds on the April 1 election ballot will add to taxes.
And how much debt the city is retiring.

The summary: We'd be adding $102.7 million in debt if all the bonds passed including the school bonds. We'd be paying off $73 million in bonded debt in 2008, for a net growth in debt of $29.7 million. I couldn't get a simple answer on how much the paydown will reduce existing taxes. But the school district will retire more debt than it takes on.

As for added taxes per property owner due to the 2008 bond props:
It's not much if you live on the Hillside, in Eagle River-Chugiak or Girdwood, but more for Anchorage Bowl folks.

Girdwood: $9.21 more annually for each $100,000 worth of property.
Eagle River: $13.67.
Hillside: $15.10.
The Bowl: $37.57.


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  3     March 12, 2008 - 4:08pm | smilingfool

LOL!!

Ok, it's obvious Rosemary doesn't have much experience with beaurocrats and property taxes.

The answer to how much the paydown will reduce existing taxes - NONE. History shows us that government will never reduce taxes when they no longer need the money, they'll just think up other pet projects to spend it on.

Reduce taxes. Hilarious!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Oh, and save any arguments that use the mill rate as justification. If property values go up, taxes will go up even if the mill rate decreases. Beaurocrats LOVE to fool the public by saving they're "cutting" taxes, when they know full well they're lying.

  2     March 11, 2008 - 8:19pm | cat_train2

Our taxes...

will not go up at all if enough of us vote NO. I plan to vote NO as many times as they'll let me.

  1     March 11, 2008 - 7:40pm | rfn

The amounts seem relatively small.

It's when pebble after pebble is added year after year that a cairn becomes a monument.

Every little bit can be defended but it's the whole that will one day take your home.

Until voters say "enough" there will be no such thing as "enough".