Nome’s Port Commission will meet tonight for their second work session of the month to discuss the 2016 tariff and make changes to rules, rates and regulations. City Manager Tom Moran was at the first work session last week, preaching fiscal responsibility.
“I would just like to say that the city administration is at a point where we will really urge you, and everybody — every single department, to kind of avoid the situation that happened with NJUS.”
Moran is not the only one comparing the port to Nome Joint Utility Service. At this week’s City Council meeting, councilman Matt Culley called it “NJUS 2.0.” That’s because the port operated in the red last year, though their deficit is much smaller than the millions owed by NJUS to the city of Nome.
The commission couldn’t come to a consensus on whether to raise all harbor-related rates or instead focus on raising revenue. Commissioner Megan Alvanna-Stimpfle challenged the reasons for the proposed hike.
“I’m hesitant to collect money for the sake of collecting money,” Alvanna-Stimpfle said. “These tugs and barges provide such important goods to our communities,” she said, adding “I wouldn’t want to potentially pass along these taxes to our consumers.”
Tom Moran reminded the commission of the port’s deficit. He said to turn a profit, they need to increase the port’s tariff by 100 to 200 percent.
The Port Commission will continue their discussion during a work session tonight at City Hall at 5:30 pm.
