Empire Archives is a series printed every Saturday featuring a short compilation of headline stories in the Juneau Empire from archived editions in 1985, 1995 and 2005. They include names, AP style and other content of their eras.
This week in 1985, a bill to reestablish the state income tax is one of 98 new proposals that will face lawmakers when the 14th Alaska Legislature convenes Jan. 14. Of the pre-filed measures, 46 were House bills and the rest were Senate bills. Seven of the eight resolutions introduced were in the House. That compares to 52 bills pre-filed by legislators last year. A legislative affairs assistant said the totals are preliminary. The tax measure by Sen. Bob Zeigler, D-Ketchikan, would impose the personal income tax on all Alaskans in 1990. He said he doesn’t think it has much chance of becoming law, but he wants to get state officials thinking about reimposing taxes as oil-fired revenues begin to burn down. The tax would vary based on income. Among other pre-filed bills are abolishing a pay raise lawmakers voted for themselves in 1983, authorizing the Alaska Marine Highway System to transport certain items for charitable organizations without charge and establishing an asbestos abatement program.
Original Story: “State income tax plan among 98 pre-filed bills,” by Bruce Scandling. 1/4/1985.
This week in 1995, Pacific Telecom Inc. rings in the year with a new rule for long-distance calling within Alaska. Residents must now dial 1 plus the area code to make in-state long-distance calls. The change is part of a nationwide effort to create millions of new phone numbers. Other changes effective this year are Alaska Airlines is raising the number of miles required to earn a domestic ticket to 20,000 instead of 15,000 as of Feb. 1. A new municipal ordinance penalizes motorists for driving while impaired if they have a blood-alcohol content of .08%, compared to the state legal requirement for drunk driving of 0.1%. Rates for Tier II cable TV will go up by $2 a month to $41.83 for about three dozen broadcast channels. The cost of mailing a first-class letter is 32 cents, up by three cents.
Original Story: “Changes you can count on in 1995,” by Margaret Thomas. 1/2/1995.
This week in 2005, residents seem to agree that the cost of living in Juneau is high. But the prospect of international retailers coming to town with the promise of low prices has sparked debate. Juneau Chamber of Commerce President David Summers said members he has talked to don’t even feel the same way about big-box retailers The Home Depot and Wal-Mart. The Home Depot, based in Georgia, hopes to open a Juneau store “as soon as possible” if it can acquire 10 acres near Costco, spokeswoman Kathryn Gallagher said earlier this month. Arkansas-based Wal-Mart has inquired about the unused former Kmart building near Lemon Creek as a store site, said Eric Berger, Northwest community affairs manager for Wal-Mart in Seattle. “Most of the (chamber members) I’ve talked to tend to like the idea of a Home Depot,” Summers said. “Most people I’ve talked to don’t like the idea of a Wal-Mart.”
Today the Wal-Mart that closed in 2016 is now a U-Haul outlet, Home Depot continues to operate and residents are still expressing concerns about high prices that have little to do with the presence or lack of big-box merchants.
Original Story: “Wal-Mart, Home Depot spark concerns among Juneau residents,” by Tony Carroll. 1/2/2005.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
