SitNews - Opinion/Letter: HEAD TAX: VERY BAD CHOICE OF WORDS By Charles Edwardson

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HEAD TAX: VERY BAD CHOICE OF WORDS
By Charles Edwardson

April 27, 2010
Tuesday

It has always bothered me -- the term HEAD TAX. It sounds like a hunting trip. It should be labeled what it is a PORT AND HARBOR TAX.

We in Ketchikan are second only to the Bahamas in cost per visit per customer Why do you think that is??

Because people will come to Alaska no matter what the cost, and they will continue to go to the Bahamas as well. It was a mistake to repeal the port and harbor tax. The reason I say this is that it was the world wide recession that reduced travel to Alaska not the port and harbor tax.

The Oceana announced 10 visits in Ketchikan with 684 customers per, DISNEY announced earlier this year that Alaska is now on their itinerary, this all happened (before) this year's legislative session. These cruises are booked a year in advance & these cruises were booked before this legislative session produced a reduction in the tax.

Frank Del Rio chairman of Prestige Holdings, Oceana's parent company eluded to the the fact that this repeal of a portion of the tax helped them to decide stopping in Ketchikan. I think that is indicative of the cruise industry's sensationalizing and spinning media for their own gain. I would say that is remarkable marketing to book all of those trips based on what happened in this session. It took only three days to book 6,840 passengers to Alaska -- that is some good marketing.. Please...

It is done and I think it was a mistake. Stop calling it a head tax and stop giving into strong arm tactics. There is only one Alaska there is only one Bahamas. We should have toed the line and made them pay -- but it is an election year .

Charles Edwardson
Ketchikan, AK

Received April 24, 2010 - Published April 27, 2010