Sitka Assembly weighs February vote on half-point summer sales tax for child care

Sitka voters would decide Feb. 2, 2027, whether to raise the April-through-September sales tax from 6% to 6.5% to pay for child care, under an ordinance the Sitka Assembly takes up for a first reading Tuesday, Oct. 27.

The meeting starts at 6 pm in Assembly Chambers. A first reading is not a final vote. The Assembly has not adopted the ordinance or set the special election. A second and final reading is set for Nov. 10 before the February ballot question becomes final. The Assembly itself would not set the new rate; voters would.

The increase would apply only to the six-month summer season. On a $100 summer purchase, the tax would rise from $6 to $6.50, according to the city's FAQ in the meeting packet. If voters approve, the increase would take effect April 1, 2027, and expire March 31, 2037, unless voters renew it.

The added half point would be dedicated to child care assistance grants and program administration. The sponsors, Mayor Kevin Mosher and Assembly members Thor Christianson and Katie Riley, wrote in an Oct. 13 memo that the money would go to an outside entity with expertise in child care support, which would distribute it directly to child care centers and families.

Alaska News previously covered the Assembly's Sept. 8 discussion of a half-point summer sales tax for child care. Members favored the idea then but took no vote.

The ballot question would not change Sitka's existing summer school dedication. As Alaska News reported Sept. 15, Sitka's sales tax dropped from 6% to 5% on Oct. 1 and stays there through March. The summer point that comes off each fall is dedicated to school buildings.

Residents can comment during the meeting's public testimony period, limited to three minutes per speaker.