One corner of Homer pays an extra tax to keep the water moving

In one corner of Homer down by the water, property owners pay a tax the rest of the city doesn't — a dedicated levy to keep the storm drains flowing in the Ocean Drive Loop area. This year, the city council voted to keep charging it.

The extra charge, one mill, sits on top of Homer's regular property tax and funds the neighborhood's own drainage system. A stormwater study a few years ago let the city trim the rate, but the council decided against cutting it any further — the system still needs upkeep, and the improvements aren't finished.

It's a small reminder that in a coastal town, managing water is a permanent line item — and in this district, the people who live with the runoff are the ones who pay to move it.