Kenai Peninsula Borough committee debates mill-rate changes, Seldovia increase and Bear Creek amendment

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Finance Committee discussed a resolution to set mill rates for fiscal year 2026 and tax year 2025, including a proposed increase for the Seldovia Recreation Service Area and an amendment to lower the Bear Creek Fire Service Area rate.

The resolution would raise Seldovia’s mill rate from 0.75 to 1.0, a change that Finance Director Brandy Harbaugh said “would generate approximately $23,269.” Assemblymember [first name not specified] Dunn and Mayor Michicky supported the increase as a targeted contribution toward keeping the Seldovia community pool operating while the community pursues longer-term solutions.

Why it matters: mill rates determine local property-tax revenue for borough service areas and affect small, rural service areas differently than larger tax bases. The committee’s discussion focused on the tradeoff between short-term relief for local projects and…