Hide Article Text (OCR)
Mirrored Reflections.By Sig DigreeA lot of you will be asking yourselves as I did when reading the report of gains in personal income in Alaska, as found elsewhere in (his issue, “Where was I — how come more of this didn’t rub off on me?”According to the report. Alaska’s personal income was three-fourths again as high as in 1950,capita income one-tJhan the nationalperhigherand thefifth average.This editorgot the impression as he read the report, that he has kept his nose too long between the sheets of a newspaper, rather than seeking out ways of making money.But reading further into the report, geographic distribution of income had to do with this editor being on the short end of the stick — income jwise. There is a marked uneven distribution of individuals and income in the State. More than three-fourths of total income, and more than two-thirds of the population, are concentrated in Central Alaska where average incomes are highest — one-third above those in the country as a whole.ftThe southeastern “Panhandle has just over one-eighth of the income and nearly one-sixth of the population.The sparsely inhabited West receives less than one-tenth of all income: has one-sixth of the population: and is characterized by per capita incomes one-fourth below the national average. The West, according to the report, is the least developed and least accessible part of Alaska. Its economic structure reflects the considerable importance of the military and the presence of a large native economy based mainly on fishing, hunting. and trapping, with seasonal employment in fish canneries.We couldn’t help but reflect that :* is apparent that “them that have much, want more.” This is brought out in the move to bring the capital in the vicinity of Anchorage. Central Alaska now hasthree-fourths of the Slate’s income, but wants to swallow up most of Southeastern’s one-eighth.When voting on Initiative petition No. 1, whether for or against moving the capital, it might be well to think about your future income and future taxes, and that of future generations. A conservative estimate of the cost of moving the capital from Juneau is $50,000,-000, but more than likely a great deal more.Personally, we would rather hang on to what we have, and concentrate on boosting the economyof the State, so that individual incomes can still continue to rise. Maybe some of it may rub off on this editor yet.
Newspaper Details
Kodiak Mirror
Kodiak, Alaska, US
Sat, Jul 30, 1960
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Rachel C.
AK, USA 30 Sep 2021
Other Publications Near Kodiak, Alaska
The Orphanage News Letter
The News Letter
Kodiak Mirror
