Governor Bill Walker's hiring freeze doesn't apparently apply to his new fleet of tax accountants and collectors.
Senate Bill 134, (HB 182) by request of the governor, would impose an income tax each year (or fraction of a year) on all residents and nonresidents of Alaska who work for a living. That tax? 6 percent of your total federal income tax.
The cost of tax collection is not insubstantial. The governor's plan adds 44 full-time, and 16 part-time accountants, auditors, tax collector, and other highly paid positions to the Alaska Department of Revenue.
In a quick reversal of his own policy, Walker's bill was filed just two weeks after he declared a state hiring freeze.
Governor Walker's income tax is expected to raise $200 million.
The Tax Division, run by Juneau Democratic political operative Ken Alper, will increase by 45 percent to process an expected 400,000 tax returns that the state is targeting for 2018.
Among items to be taxed: Your dead relative's estate. Any estate that is left to you that is owned by someone who lived outside of Alaska at the time of their death will be taxed.
http://www.alaskagop.org/governor_wants_to_add_52_state_employees_to_collect_income_taxes
