Alaska fishing group flags concerns with income tax proposal

Published 11:37 pm Thursday, February 16, 2017

JUNEAU — A trade group for Alaska commercial fishermen is flagging concerns with a state House proposal that would reinstitute a personal income tax.

United Fishermen of Alaska says many fishermen will have “major difficulties” complying with withholding requirements on payments to fishing crew.

Association leaders, in a letter to the House Finance Committee co-chairs, say withholding requirements would fall on skippers who don’t have the information they would need to estimate a crew member’s potential federal tax liability. The tax, as proposed, would be 15 percent of what a person owes the federal government in taxes.

They raised other concerns, too.

The association, which says it has not taken a position either way on the bill, suggested a fix that would treat fishermen the same as people who are self-employed.