TAX CAP INITIATIVE FILED ON WEDNESDAY JUNE 3, 2009

Copy of the initiative can be found here

Rejection Letter from the Kenai Borough Clerk

ARE YOU READY TO SAVE THOUSAND 

ON YOUR FUTURE BOROUGH PROPERTY TAX BILLS? 

Your 2009 Kenai Borough property tax assessment (s) are being delivered now.  This summer you will receive your annual tax bill.  Do you feel your assessment and property taxes are too high and have been increasing too fast?  Are you getting your money’s worth?  Are your wages continuing to keep up with the increased burden of taxation imposed by your borough government?  If you are interested in slowing the growth of your property tax bill, please read on to find out what you can do…

 

We are the Alliance of Concerned Taxpayers (A.C.T.) and we are here to help you!  Since 2005 we have actively worked with local taxpayers to slow the growth of borough spending and to make our elected officials more accountable.  Along the way we have ruffled a lot of feathers in the political community, while making real progress toward a more efficient and accountable government.   The list of our major accomplishments, can be seen farther down the page.

 

Now let’s talk about saving you money!  Our current project is the ACT-CAP initiative.  ACT-CAP is designed to slow growth and limit spending by borough government.  Similar revenue caps have been instituted by citizens’ groups in the Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Mat-Su boroughs and have been proven to work!  Our proposed revenue cap has eliminated many of the loopholes exploited by the other boroughs to insure that it will protect you well into the future.  Details of how ACT-CAP works can be found at the bottom of this section.

 

“Why does the Kenai Peninsula Borough not have a revenue cap like other communities in Alaska?”  The answer is that A.C.T. has repeatedly introduced this initiative legislation, only to be refused ballot access by our borough government.

 

“If this type of cap is legal in Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Mat-Su boroughs, why is it not legal here?”  The answer is that it is legal here, but our borough does not want to be controlled by a revenue cap and they have used legal maneuvering to deny our right to ballot access.

 

“How can the borough deny the public’s right to petition their government?”  If the Borough Attorney gives them an “OPINION” that supports their denial of a petition, they can block ballot access until ordered by a court to allow for signature collection to proceed.

 

“What can be done to overcome the road blocks put in place by the borough?”  We must challenge the Borough Attorney’s “opinion” in state court, which is what we are preparing to do.  To that end we have retained the same attorney who authored the Anchorage and Fairbanks caps to draft our initiative and represent us in court.  He has successfully litigated against both boroughs to gain ballot access for other groups.  He has already lined up the expert witnesses required to successfully challenge the Kenai Borough.

 

“Is there something we can do to help put ACT-CAP on the ballot?”  Quite simply, the answer is send money to help pay for this legal challenge.  Consider your contribution as an investment, which will stop the uncontrollable increases of your property taxes.  Furthermore, ACT-CAP has the potential of forcing the borough to actually reduce your future property tax bills, as sales tax and other tax revenues increase. 

 

Help us to help you save money on your future tax bills!  Only with your generous donation can ACT-CAP become a reality.  Without your help, ACT-CAP will have to wait another year, or until the money is available for us to proceed.  We are already about 20% there, help us reach our goal!  PLEASE DONATE TODAY!   

 

Before you put pen to check think to yourself, “How many more of these big property tax hikes can I afford”?   Your contribution of $100 or more will help move us toward our goal of tax stability here in the Kenai Peninsula Borough.  At this time, there is no legal limit to the amount of your contribution for our ACT-CAP lawsuit. Your name and address will not be forwarded to any other entity, and your contribution will not be made public.

 

Secure electronic payments can be made on our web site using PayPal, or just make your check out to “ACT-CAP” and mail it to P.O. Box 3293 Kenai, Alaska;  99611-3293.

 

 

   Click HERE to help make ACT-CAP become a reality!

 

 

For additional information about ACT-CAP, click here: http://www.act-kpb.org/WhatIsACTCAP.htm

 

Our FREE newsletter to keep you “in the know” is available by subscribing at: http://www.act-kpb.org/volunteers.htm

 

 

   HIGHLIGHTS OF A.C.T.'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS   

 

October 2007: Introduced the original version of our ACT-CAP Initiative, which was denied ballot access by the Borough Clerk.  Our attorney is prepared to fight to protect YOUR RIGHT to BALLOT ACCESS and to control Borough spending with a total Borough REVENUE CAP.   We are currently working to raise the necessary funds to accomplish this goal.

 

We have competent and experienced attorneys working for A.C.T., who are fighting for YOUR RIGHTS.  If you agree that the borough should have a revenue cap, please help us, and together it will become a reality.  Your contribution could save you thousands on future property tax bills!  Click HERE and contribute today.

 

June 2007: Introduced Citizens’ Initiatives for term limits, one applicable for the Borough Assembly and another for the School Board.  Both Ballot Propositions PASSED in October 2007.  The Borough Assembly subsequently refused to obey this new Borough law, which forced A.C.T. to raise funds and sue the Borough again.  A.C.T. won the term limits lawsuit, applicable for the assembly and the first incumbent Assembly Member was term limited from office in 2008.  Term limits had been approved by the voters twice prior to our successful initiative and the Borough Assembly ignored those voter approved term limits each time!  Our successful lawsuit forced the borough to finally obey the will of the people.

 

June 2005: Introduced a Citizens’ Initiative, which would require 60% voter approval for the borough to increase sales taxes beyond 2%.  The Ballot Proposition was PASSED in October 2005.  The Borough Assembly raised the sales tax rate to 3% anyway and ACT sued the Borough.  This suit has been fully funded by members of the public and it could very well end up being heard by the Alaska Supreme Court.

 

April 2005: Introduced a Citizens’ Initiative to lower the limit to $1,000,000 that the Borough could spend for new Capital projects and to require 60% voter approval.  The Ballot Proposition was PASSED in October 2005.  Our ACT lawyer is currently in litigation in Superior Court defending against the borough’s claim that the assembly has exclusive authority to decide how to spend YOUR money.

 

 

   Click HERE to help make ACT-CAP become a reality!