Sitka Assembly favors a half-point summer sales tax for child care, with no vote taken

Sitka's summer sales tax would rise half a percentage point under a child care plan the City and Borough of Sitka Assembly favored on Tuesday, Sept. 8, though the minutes record no vote. Members discussed a 10-year sunset, a built-in expiry, and an ordinance is to follow. The tax would go to voters at a special election, date not yet set.

Center-based infant care in Sitka costs $24,413 a year, 26 percent of the area's median household income of $95,261 and well past the 7 percent federal benchmarks treat as affordable.

Sitka now charges 6 percent from April 1 through Sept. 30 and 5 percent otherwise; summer would become 6.5 percent. Staff estimated that would raise about $1.19 million a year, against the roughly $1 million child care package the Assembly adopted in principle in July.

Sponsors Kevin Mosher, Thor Christianson and Katie Riley led it, and four residents spoke. JJ Carlson, Chris Ystad and Riley raised concerns the increase could be regressive, falling hardest on lower incomes, and burden working families.