Kodiak Borough weighs tax on recreational harvest

The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly is weighing a flat fee on fish boxes and other containers of recreationally harvested natural resources.

Assembly Member Jeffery Woods pointed to Sitka's existing charge as a reference point. "Sitka currently has a fish box tax where they levy $10 a box for seafood leaving the Sitka Borough," he said. "We have a much larger natural resource extraction footprint than Sitka does, I would wager to say."

The Borough Attorney advised that this type of levy can be categorized as an excise tax rather than a sales tax and, structured that way, would not require voter approval.

That legal interpretation drew concern from at least one speaker. Valerie Erson, speaking for charter industry interests, objected to that approach. "We are also concerned with the idea that an excise tax is being discussed with the specific goal of bypassing a public vote," she said. "While we can appreciate that the Kodiak Island Borough needs to identify funding to support its activities, there should be an opportunity for the public and small businesses that would be impacted to have input into discussions on tax matters, review any proposals, and ultimately vote, as this could impact many families."

No rate, collection mechanism, or revenue allocation has been finalized. The Assembly could instruct staff or the Borough Attorney to prepare an ordinance for formal introduction at a future meeting.