VALLEY FRONTIERSMAN
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21, 1947, at the post office at
Palmer, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
PRINTED AT PALMER, ALASKA, EACH FRIDAY
By the Matanuska Press, Inc.
M-Publisher
A. J. DeJulio
Editor
Mrs. Marian Badcon
Associate Editor
Virginia Gallant
Barbara Carter .Wasilla Correspondent
Subscription Rates.50c a month, $5 a year
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
Incorporation—Yes!
(Continued from Page 1)
The powers and authority of the
present law enforcement officers
are limited, in that none are re
quired to patrol and police the
city, nor are they required to
maintain law and order by being
active before trouble may start.
An incorporated city must have
an adequate police force and is
clothed with authority to make
it’s police force effective in main
tenance of law and order.
Streets
The Palmer area is entirely de
pendent upon the Alaska Road
Commission for bare maintenance
&f its roads and so-called main
street. Snow removal is accomp
lished when the Road Commis
sion has equipment available, or
by individuals who pay for the
use of hired equipment. The Road
Commission is mainly concerned
with maintenance of highways,
not city streets. With a council
the city would be enabled to, over
^ period of time, acquire all nec
essary equipment for street main
tenance and snow removel.
Water System
The Palmer area is dependent
upon a privately owned water
system for water used in every
day life. There have been water
shortages a number of times in
the past and the area is now
suffering with one of the worst
shortages in its history. Every
home and business is affected ad
versely. The water utility cannot
act as a public utility, but can
«only contract to supply such sur
plus water in the pipe line as is
not required for its own use and
industry. Thus whenever the wat
er available falls below that
amount required for the utility’s j
own use, the town supply is shut
off.
In discussions with a number ot
money lending agencies, govern
mental and private, the inescap
able conclusion is reached that
the only hope held out for an
adequate water supply for all
areas of the town is to incor
porate and thus enable the
town council to apply for gov
ernment aid in development of
such supply and means of dis
tribution.
This point is emphasized as in
quiries made during several
months have actually been ex
haustive. Any measures taken to
augment the present water sup
ply and system would be only a
stop-gap, and persons financing
such measures could still only be
promised the use of SURPLUS
WATER. It is said “there is
plenty of water above the pres
ent source which needs only be
tapped”. In this respect simple
logic should show anyone that a
four inch water pipe can deliver
a certain quantity of water, no
matter how much may be avail
able. In other words the water
. available for a growing town is
limited to the quantity that can
be drawn from a four inch pipe.
Fire Insurance
♦ How many home owners know
» their fire insurance rates could
be reduced as much as 80 cents
per $100 through incorporation?
This does not mean an automatic
decrease. It does mean that the
incorporated city of Palmer, with
a well organized fire department
—one or two paid men on duty—
a trained volunteer crew and an
ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLY,
can and will bring about a new
rating and classification change
in insurance rates. The amount
of 80 cents per $100 reduction has
been quoted from a representa
tive of the fire rating bureau.
Consider this 80 cents; a prop
erty tax of 10 mills means a tax
of $1.00 per $100 of taxable prop
erty valuation. Taxable and in
surable values of property run
or should run closely together.
The insurance saving equivalent
to 8 mills would cover mucn of
the tax burden a city would im
pose. Also, remember this, the
best organized and equipped fire
department is helpless without
water.
No 'Tree For Nothing"
It is regretable that some op
ponents of incorporation have
felt called upon to issue state
ments and rumors bordering on
plain “silly”. They were certain
readers and listeners would be
lieve some element of truth was
in the statements. It has been
stated that people are being asked
to vote for incorporation on the
ground that Federal funds could
be had “for free” as a grant to
(a) pave streets; (b) furnish and
equip a fire department; (c) con
struct a city hall and other nec
essary city buildings; (d) magi
cally install a water system; and,
other equally ridiculous remarks.
Within my knowledge, no one
has been solicited nor sold on any
idea that “free for nothing” mo
ney may be had for the fore
going improvements. It has been
stated, and, repeated here, that
Federal aid shall be solicited
under present regulations for
construction of such urgent and
necessary facilities as may be ap
proved. It is known that under
existing laws, certain Federal
Agencies may grant to cities Fed
eral monies as a partial aid to
construct and acquire necessary
facilities, and, lend the remain
der on a long term loan to com
plete the project. This is possible
for Palmer under the laws, only
if and when Palmer has a duly
elected city council to apply for
and administer the funds so
asked. No other body or organi
zation may do so.
On the matter of paved streets,
if Palmer, as an incorporated city
is financially able to pave any
street within the first ten years,
it should be considered a miracle
of financing. The two main roads
alongside the Alaska Railroad
tracks are Railroad property—
part of the right of way. Unless
the railroad should deed the
right of way to the city, no city
council would ever have the right
to expend city funds on such a
project.
Taxes and Revenue
The ogre of heavy taxation has
been raised as being the chief
excuse to vote against incorpora
tion. Many of those whose voice
in being thus raised live here,
work here, earn their money here,
expect the public to support them
through patronage of their busi
nesses, but do not want to pay
taxes to create and support a city
which, in turn, would lead to
greater earnings and profits.
A review of the budget used
by any city in Alaska will reveal
that the total sum raised from
taxation is, in nearly every case,
less than 50 per cent of the total
budget. Revenues accruing to a
city come from many sources.
In the case of Palmer the li
censes and fees NOW being paid
by every business and profession
al man in Palmer will, for the
most part, revert to the city treas
ury. The city may derive reve
nues from other licenses and per
mits not now being assessed. In
some instances assessment of a
reasonable license fee, together
with an appropriate ordinance,
will result in greater safety to
the public, for example: public
carriers of persons and property
for hire may be required as a re
quisite to license, to carry ade
quate insurance on their vehicles
for public protection.
It should be borne in mind that
taxation of city properties varies
in amount in direct proportion to
demands of the people for im
provements and the quality of the
persons elected to council posts.
If demands are moderate, then
moderate taxation shall result.
A studied analysis of the situ
ation shows no serious burden
should be placed upon property
owners and business houses as
a result of incorporation. The few
who decry taxes would also op
pose any other move organized
to have them help support the
fire and police protection, and
road improvements they demand,
and, loudly denounce failure to
give them this protection when
needed.
In the changing economy of
the Valley area, the town of
Palmer cannot stand still, it must
go backward or forward in
growth and wealth. Which of
these the reader of this article
may want, let him or her vote
accordingly on April 10, but be
sure to vote.
I I
Our service to you doesn't
consist entirely of freezing
and storing food. We're
equipped to take care of
any butchering and pack
aging of meats that you
may desire. Call on us to
handle your entire meat
supply.
Palmer Cold Storage
and Looker Service
Spending Easter in Wasilla with
the Martin Olson family were
Mr and Mrs. Thomas Olson and
children, Eric and Janet of Fair
banks, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Brat
hain and children, Sonja and
Bruce, Miss Agnes Bolokken, Ar
nifinn Kvernplassen and Olaf Ol
sen.
TREASURE CHEST
Imported Linen Tablecloths
54x54 — 54x72 — 60x90
ALSO . . .
Chinese Linen Cloths and Handkerchiefs
rCome In and Browse'
Next to Hyland Hotel
I/i
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TOST’S
SERVICE STATION
GENERAL REPAIRS
• EXIDE BATTERIES
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in
Downtown
Palmer, Alaska
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