Opinions expressed in commentary on KCAW are those of the author, and are not necessarily shared by the station’s board, staff, or volunteers.
My name is Rob Allen. Sitka is a great place to live, and we need to keep it that way. That’s why I’m voting yes on Proposition 1.
I grew up here, got a good education in our local schools, and ran a successful business in town. I’ve been involved in many of our local agencies, institutions, and organizations in one way or another for nearly 30 years. I came back to town in 2015 to help the community hospital get back on its feet, and I was the chair of the Citizen’s Task Force that studied our financial issues and tried to develop solutions eartlier this year. All of us on the Task Force agreed: The city needs to cut expenses, but it can’t cut enough to balance the budget without doing real damage to the things we all love about living here — schools, libraries, parks, trails, infrastructure, and public safety.
We need new revenue. We all know it’s expensive to live here. The thing is, it’s already unaffordable for some of us. That’s why those of us who are doing well need to pay our fair share. There’s no perfect way to do that, but the property tax is the best option we have, because the people with more expensive properties will pay more. If Proposition 1 passes, my family will be paying more to live here. But we’ve always believed the community is worth it. I hope you’ll join me in voting yes on Proposition 1.
Rob Allen is the CEO of Sitka Community Hospital.
