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Clerk outlines forthcoming Haines Borough code changes including cruise-ship sales-tax language and mobile-home definition amendment
Summary
The borough clerk told the CRC the assembly’s ordinance tracker includes proposed amendments to HBC 3.80 (clarifying sales tax on cruise-ship passenger sales and raising a construction-material exemption threshold) and an effort to standardize the mobile-home definition in HBC 3.70.050(b). The items are expected to move through committee before assembly action.
Mike, the borough clerk, briefed the Code Review Commission on items currently on the ordinance tracker and potential introductions to the assembly.
He said the tracker lists an ordinance package that includes three elements: clarifying sales-tax language for cruise-ship passenger vessel sales within borough boundaries, an increase to the construction-materials exemption threshold, and a proposed definition change for mobile homes to make the code consistent across sections. Mike described the construction-materials change as an increase “from $5,000 to $12,000 in years 1 and 2 and $22,000 after year 3.”
On the cruise-ship passenger sales-tax language, the clerk said the ordinance would clarify that sales taxes may be assessed on goods and services sold to cruise-ship passengers when vessels are anchored, moored or docked within Haines Borough boundaries. Commissioners asked whether cruise lines hold borough business licenses and whether the borough can enforce tax collection when ships are anchored offshore; members said those are issues the administration and committee will need to vet.
The clerk also noted the commerce committee had not forwarded a proposed nonprofit exemption portion of the sales-tax draft to the assembly; that element remains under committee review. Several members suggested the CRC monitor the proposed language as it moves through committee and into the two-month introduction/hearings process so the CRC can flag inconsistencies.
No formal ordinance votes were taken in this meeting. The clerk said the communications-equipment ordinance the CRC previously reviewed is returning to the assembly on Dec. 16, which the CRC may monitor.
Next steps: CRC members agreed to watch the listed items on the tracker and to use the referral form process if staff or the public spot inconsistencies requiring CRC review.
