Passing a Law That Will Change Nothing

The Juneau Assembly (city council) has voted in favor of a proposal to exempt sales of goods and services sold aboard cruise ships while they are in port, from city sales taxes.

In practice, the sales are minimal and the cruise lines just don't collect or pay the taxes, but the city is moving ahead drafting an ordinance formalizing the exemption after the Assembly vote. Onboard shops are closed while the ships are in port, and most of what they should be collected on are beverage sales, specialty food sales and the like.

The complete story appeared in the January 16 edition of Cruise News Daily.