Alaskans are invited to testify about Governor Bill Walker’s proposed income tax at 6:00 pm on Tuesday and Thursday this week to the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee.
Alyson Stogsdill with the Kenai Legislative Information Office detailed how peninsula residents can register.
Stogsdill: “Here at the Kenai Legislative Information Office. People can come in and sign up to testify, there will be a two minute limit on testimony but they need to be here at the Kenai LIO and sign up in order for us to put the names down for the committee.”
In the governor’s proposed structure, the personal income tax would be six percent of the amount you pay in taxes to the federal government. For example, if your federal tax liability equals $5,000, you would pay $300 in state taxes.
The income tax is one of several tax proposals from Walker meant to help the state address its estimated $3.5 billion budget deficit. Others include a statewide sales tax, higher taxes on fishing, motor fuels, and tourism, along with a “sin-tax” on alcohol and cigarettes.
The measure is expected to generate about $200 million in new revenue for the state.
Written testimony can also be submitted by emailing the Senate.Labor.and.Commerce@akleg.gov which will then be placed on the record and distributed to committee members.
Those interested in listening to the hearings can visit akleg.gov.