Chilkat Valley News - Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966

In response to the Dec. 15 article about Porcupine Road, I'd like to state that there are quite a few private taxpaying landowners along that borough road, myself included. The only benefit I receive for my property taxes which is not available to tourists is this road. Yes, the forest service's Sunshine Mountain Road is an option to property which is either before or after where it connects to Porcupine Road but not for anything in the five to six miles in the middle. It also stays snow-covered longer. This fall when the Porcupine Creek breached twice, access to Sunshine wasn't an option. Just because it is also used by an outside TV show and a mining exploration company doesn't make it any less a borough road. To suggest not using tax dollars because of that even though we are doing just that for the Lutak Dock seems hypocritical. If FEMA reimbursement is an option, then fix it for the long haul instead of just band-aiding the problem. Then it will be ready if the mine begins to operate just like the dock but more importantly it will be there for the local loggers, miners, firewood companies, hunters, fishermen, berry pickers, tour operators, property owners and anyone else to enjoy.

-Michael Cooper