What you need to know:
- The Mat-Su Borough and the city councils of Wasilla, Palmer, and Houston are considering a plan to standardize animal control rules across the region by transferring all related duties to the borough.
- If approved, the plan could increase property taxes for residents within the three cities by about $23.60 per $100,000 of assessed value while slightly reducing taxes for non-city residents.
- The proposal addresses years of logistical and financial challenges tied to fragmented animal control services and contracts between the cities and the borough that do not cover the full cost of services.
- Short on time but need the local news scoop? Get free weekly news in your inbox for Mat-Su, from Mat-Su.
WASILLA — A Matanuska-Susitna Borough plan to take over animal control services across the region could ease enforcement challenges and standardize leash, kennel, and other animal regulations — but may also raise property taxes for residents in Wasilla, Palmer, and Houston.
If approved, the proposal could increase property taxes for the roughly 18,000 residents of Palmer, Houston, and Wasilla by about $23.60 per $100,000 of assessed value, since they do not currently pay the borough directly for animal services, according to a borough fact sheet.
Noncity residents, who now fund the program through a non-areawide property tax, would see a decrease of about $4.80 per $100,000, as the total cost of services would be spread across a larger population, the fact sheet states…