At the end of a long meeting, the assembly discussed adding five advisory questions to the ballot for the fall local elections. Advisory questions are a nonbinding way for elected officials to get a sense of what voters think about a particular issue.
The questions were
1) Should the Haines Borough require disclosure of real estate sales values for use in determining accurate property values for tax assessment purposes?
2) Should voter approval be required for Haines Borough capital projects exceeding $15 million in total value?
3) MARAD, the federal agency funding the Lutak Dock project, has final say on what dock design it will fund. However, public opinion has some bearing. Do you support the current, encapsulation design for reconstruction of the Lutak Dock?
4) Do you support development and operation of a mine at the Palmer Project as currently pursued by Constantine Metals Resources?
5) Should the Haines Borough provide assistance to regional healthcare provider SEARHC in the siting of a new hospital in Haines?
Mayor Tom Morphet was in favor.
Morphet: “I want an assembly that’s efficient, and I thought this was a tool that can be used.”
Morphet says this would be the most efficient way to gauge voters’ opinion.
Assembly member Gabe Thomas pushed back.
Thomas: “It’s very important things for the whole community, I just don’t like putting it out there, It’s literally going to drive a wedge between people.”
Assembly member Kevin Forster said boiling down complex issues to a yes or no question would be counterproductive.
Forster: “My hesitancy is that they are so big and complex. And even myself if I was just to step into there and sign on to understand, where am I at? Well in regards to what? What are the variables? What are you asking me to decide right now?
The assembly voted to get rid of the questions about the Lutak dock and the Constantine mine.
The discussion will likely resume at a further meeting, the assembly has until the second week of August to include questions on the ballot.”
