The Cost of Statehood for Alaska
levealed in Preliminary Studies
Is it going to cost the taxpayer
■ore as a resident of Alaska as a
slate than Alaska as a territory?
WHI the cost of state government
be higher than that of the terri
torial government? These are two
questions vital to residents of
Alaska already burdened with
high costs and taxes.
Alaskans in many ways may be
a different breed from the ordin
ary run, but they are still hard
headed about money matters.
Though coming here because of a
spirit of adventure, or what have
you—and enthralled by its scen
ery and vastness, they are never
thelers VfaUv concerned when
t*eir pocketbonk is involved.
The cost to Alaska of .f^rit
government can be r'e.med from
the general appropriation act for
the fiscal biennium ending March
31, 1957. This was shown as $31,
065,745. Actually, in round figures,
based on the year 1957, the cost
to Alaska for territorial govern
ment is $15 million. This amount
is derived from territorial income
tax, business license tax. and t \es
urn fisheries, mines, liquor estab
lishments and other sources.
The $15 million so appropriated
was divided up among the usual
cervices offered t*y state govern
ments. This despite the fact that
me have been denied control of
our resources and courts and oth
er activities due to restrictions
under the Organic Act.
Ralph J. Rivers, Representative
elect, territory of Alaska, in testi
mony before the Committee on
Interior and Insular Affairs of
the U. S. Senate, stated “G ner
ally speaking, the present sources
of territorial revenue will support
the functions already carried on
by Alaska as a territory, with the
possible exception of the mental
health program.” Rivers pointed
out, however, this cannot be class
ified as an extra expense of state
hood, as it had already been turn
ed over to Alaska as a territory.
The new financial burden on
Alaska as a state was stated as
follows by Rivers: State court sys
tem, $600,000; Trunk highway
maintenance, $1,000,000; Court
houses and jails, etc., $200,000;
Legislature, $150,000; Governor
and Secretary of State, $100,000;
and miscellaneous, $100,000.
There will be no increase in cost
for such items as fish and wildlife,
state land office, trunk highway
construction, access roads.
To offset these additional costs,
anticipated revenues include; Bal
ance from Pribilof Seal Fisheries,
$537,713; from forest leases,
stumpage and timber, $500,000;
State share of gas and oil lease
proceeds, from Federal govern
ment or from State domain in se
lected areas, $125,000. Total of
this non-tax revenue is $1,162,713.
Rivers suggested the less than $1
million could be raised by a one
percent tax on property outside of
incorporated areas, or other levies.
There is no such tax at the pres
ent time.
Thus, this bears out Secretary
of the Interior Fred A. Seaton’s
contention that statehood would
increase governmental costs in
Alaska, but there will be addi
tional revenue that more than off
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set the increase. Seaton stated
that functions now performed by
the federal government will in
crease Alaska’s costs by $3,600,
000 under the terms of the House
bill, but, he said, statehood will
yield approximately $5,000,000 in
revenue to the state treasury. Per
capita revenue of Alaska in 1957
was higher than that of 39 states,
according to Seaton. The Alaska
figure was quoted as $161.60. He
further pointed out that Alaska’s
government is the only govern
ment in all 48 states, Hawaii and
Puerto Rico, which had no out
standing debt at the close of fiscal
year 1957.
A breakdown of the new rev
enues that would be available to
Alaska, according to Seaton’s re
port, included the following fig
ures:
From oil and gas leases, $3,000,
000: from Pnoiioi ur ■ .
$1,000,000: from miscellaneous
fines, fees, forfeitures and pro
ceeds from the sales of public
lands, $500,000; from sports fish
ing licenses $250,000; and from
forest receipts $250,000.
City and NS Report
Rash of Shooting
There has been a rash of pro
miscuous and irresponsible shoot
ing of firearms of late, both in
town and on the Naval Station.
A transformer in the city res
ervoir area was shot out Sunday,
according to Ole Johnson, mana
ger of K.E.A., resulting in about
$300 damage. Some damage has
been done on the Naval Station,
according to Capt. Jacoby, com
manding officer. Some of the
shooting has been from cars tra
veling along the road.
These shooting incidents will
result in having to adopt sterner
measures in the control of fire
arms on the Naval Station, ac- '
cording to Capt. Jacoby. City and
Naval Station officials are seek
ing support from the general pub
lic in an effort to control the ir
responsible use of firearms. Any
one witnessing incidents of such
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so uft-oo worry of poisoning
Danville, Calif, lady.
Bo Sure
You Got
BUHACH
California’s Oroat Intact Powder
—iafa—iaty To Usa—-icanamkak- •>
shootings is urged to rep#1*
them to law enforcement officers*
giving full descriptions'
Road The Mirror Classified Ada
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Salesman
FULL OB
AUTO ii
T TIME
“ - FIRE
Hoanm
». Write t#r
Robert Pfeifer
2603 0pemunt Rd.
iiLjem
ALASKA
sw: <■; ,:-yi
■ K
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Rev. Raymond |L* Talbott, S. J.
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