Rural: I tried to do this on the web and couldn't find it anywhere on Sitnews. I found minutes and other Commission stuff, but no survey.

Rural: 1) Conditional use permits renewed maybe 5 times is a rezone 2) Government should own no property not designated to a use. All property without a planned use within 5 years should be for sale at the assessed value.
3) Any ordinance that costs a citizen (maybe $500) should be subject to arbitration (undue hardship). 4) No dedicated tax. 5) Large capital expenditures should be listed for the public with all associated parts.

Rural: 1) Keep service areas. The more involvement in government, even on a volunteer basis, the better. 2) Make library, museum, & civic center a separate "cultural" taxing district (like a Port Authority). 3) I support sales tax. It does not penalize the poor. Property tax is a dis-incentive to private investment/development.

Rural: Notes: Don't want to pay for emergency 911 dispatch (no service here). Don't want to pay solid waste and get no service. No pickup of garbage in rural areas. Don't think it's fair to be charged for some. No police service here. No help here on fire services. No streets. Should be nonareawide. Comments: Any services that a person gets in town should only be paid for by that person in town. People in nonareawide (rural) shouldn't be charged a solid waste fee. No service provided for that & still charged. Not legal!

City: Those I chose as nonareawide are services I do not believe are available areawide. If they are, or become areawide services then I feel they should be charged to all. Things such as museums, parks, library, etc., are important to all, even if others feel they don't want to pay. They benefit from these services; all do, by attracting tourists, educating locals, and benefiting our students, youth, seniors and others. Even if I lived in the Borough I'd feel the same. I used to live in the Borough. I happen to live in the City now.

Rural: Do not want consolidation.

City: KPU power & telephone should be areawide. The city currently subsidizes water & public works with these rates. Drop multiple departments, Public Works, Finance, Clerks, Managers, Attorneys, etc.

City: I believe that, as has been found in other parts of Alaska, the combining of Borough & City is not all it is cracked up to be. I doubt the positives will outweigh the negatives.

City: Rural residents should help support city services such as park & recreation and library since they use these services as well. Ketchikan is one community.

City: As a small island community all residents benefit from all of the above (survey services). Management, legal, financial control overhead will be reduced, labor to take care of (upkeep & maintain). I expect costs will increase. It is important to sustain adequate infrastructure (some of which has been mandated by federal government) for health & safety.

Rural: If we are going to consolidate, I think everything has to be consolidated. By the way, I think you are doing a good job. All of you.Bev Zaugg, Mountain Point

City (A reluctant Shoreline resident!!): All 'Service Areas' should be gradually phased out & the services (if necessary) be uniformly provided areawide.

City: I think all services used by all persons should be paid by all. Also sales tax should be equal and paid by all. One tax level areawide and eliminate all loopholes. Make every sale taxed, with a limit perhaps at 2k or so. Stop this no tax or less tax for call-in sales or shipping out sales. $55 isn't going to hurt any store in town for each sale. Some of these stores are laughing at us all the way to their bank.

City: We need an additional education tax.

Rural: School Board should also be elected by area.

City: Re: #5: Don't we already have an area sales tax?

Rural: It's time for one government and local improvement districts.

City: Borough & City need to consolidate.

City: Public Transit: I would like to see the bus hours go back to regular.

City: Local City roads taken care of.

Rural: Just make sure we end up with less total government expense, through less duplication and overlap.

City: Let's quit duplicating efforts & services.

Rural: Keep it simple. Fewer government bodies, boards, service districts, etc. mean less overhead, better efficiencies with personnel and equipment. Eliminate turf wars. We are all one community!!

City: Rural residents need to begin sharing the costs of all the services they access regularly in the City. Good luck.
City: The most important issue is combining so city property & sales tax quit doubling.

Rural: If we are consolidated, that means we are one (united). If some entities (services) are still going to fall under separate powers, there will still be this constant carping between these powers and we are undermining the success of consolidation. Consolidation means 1) For once, let's have the intestinal fortitude to become one and then get on with life as one voice ­ KETCHIKAN.

City: I am not sure the savings from eliminating duplication will be greater than the added costs for providing city services areawide.

Rural: When talking about taxes to make it fair, it should be based on income in some form, not sales!

City: Not sure about police and wastewater. I expect you to research and address concerns. Police: what happens to AST? Wastewater: I think nonareawide, but we need areawide enforcement of standards. Also don't know enough to answer #2 above. Need more info.

City: There is no point in consolidation unless we are one community. There should not be a situation where some get one service and others do not.

Rural: Notes: Economic Development ­ unnecessary; Library (currently areawide by City & Borough tax) ­ not good; Solid Waste Disposal (currently areawide by monthly fee) ­ not good. Comments: Most services can be offered and supported by a fee system, but only those individuals that use the service should have to pay the fees.

Rural: Re: #4 (Port Authority question) -- I am concerned about the government "raiding" the enterprise fund as they have in the past. If they are all put together, there is a tendency to overcharge one to subsidize another as the telephone fees are doing now. There have also been attempts to "slush" monies between the port & harbor funds.

Rural: The Borough Manager should listen to his service area advisory boards and quit ignoring them!

Rural: The above A or N (areawide or nonareawide) are too vague. I don't think borough residents should have to pay services they don't use or receive, i.e. sewer & water.

Rural: Re: #3 (should service areas remain intact?) I am not sure. Have not been convinced a consolidated government is the answer. You would think it would be more cost effective but no information has convinced me of that. I remember past movements toward consolidation (see the information printed to increase taxes for someone like me living in the "rural" area with no increase in services change this. Convince me that consolidation will benefit me & you may get my vote. Re: Public Transit (areawide or nonareawide) I would support areawide only if transit service provided all over the Island. I don't appreciate paying for things no accessible to me. And why to Saxman? Are they included in taxes? Re: Ports & Harbors (A or N): I would definitely like to see something as now poorly managed with all emphasis placed on in town. I used to keep my boat at Knudson Cove City harbor but pulled it out as paid more than boat size in town and no amenities (electric/water) & the dock/slips never maintained or policed by harbormaster personnel. Example, I had to fix my own cleats as no one ever responded to my phone requests to have them repaired. Re: Police (A or N): Not sure. Troopers may be enough for Borough. Re: EMS (A or N) I would like to see an areawide EMS system. It seems logical ­ less expensive ­ more continuity in managed care & training of EMS services.