It’s time for Page Two: News that might not make the front page for February 2, 2026.
Happy Ground Hog Day. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow when he emerged from his den this morning. That means six more weeks of winter. If you believe such things.
Mat-Su Borough Finance Director Cheyenne Heindel explained how property appraisals and taxation work in the borough in an interview on Valley Edition last week.
Alaska law requires properties be valued at fair market value for tax purposes. The borough uses computer-assisted mass appraisals to value about 80,000 parcels.
Borough assessors rely on listings, construction costs, and local market trends as well. Alaska is a non-disclosure state. That means that sales prices are not available.
Heindel says they aim for fair and equitable valuations. The borough targets appraisals at about 94% of fair market value.
The assessed value is the taxable value of a property. It remains after senior, disabled veteran, nonprofit, and government-owned property exemptions are applied. Some properties are valued but not taxed. This includes government, tribal, and qualifying nonprofit properties.
Property owners received blue valuation cards in the mail last month. They have until February 27 to appeal the appraised value of their property. Residents are encouraged to contact the assessor’s office if they have any questions about the appraised value of their property. Most questions are resolved informally.
Only a small number of cases reached the Board of Equalization in the last couple years. Very few of those resulted in changes.
Average single-family home values increased from about $390,000 last year to $420,000 this year. That’s an increase of about seven and a half percent. Higher valuations do not automatically mean higher taxes. The borough expects a lower mil rate to help keep taxes stable.
Heindel highlighted an initiative to correct undervaluation of vacant land. That land is currently assessed about 60% below market value. To improve equity, all vacant land will see a 15% valuation increase this year as part of a multi-year reassessment effort.
Area-wide taxes fund schools, emergency services, and general government. City residents may also pay city mil rates. Some services such as roads, fire, and animal care are funded through service areas depending on location.
Total property tax revenue borough-wide is about $150 million. Roughly $130 million comes from area-wide taxes. About 10% of taxable value is removed through exemptions, primarily for seniors.
The borough aims for fairness and accuracy in valuations. It wants to keep taxes stable where possible. It encourages residents to ask questions early if they disagree with their appraisal.
Contact info for the Assessor’s office if you have any questions or concerns.
Heindel’s interview is posted in Podcastsunder Valley Edition
The borough assembly meets tomorrow night at 6 p.m. in the assembly chambers.
The school board meets on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. and the school board chambers.
Angela Wade of the Chickaloon Village Traditional Council talks about culturally modified trees for the Castle Mountain Coalition Matanuska River Watershed Series on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Sutton Library.
Angela is the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. She’ll discuss the Dene practice of culturally modified trees and the significant insights they provide regarding ancestral history. These trees were traditionally modified for a variety of cultural purposes. They continue to occupy the landscape today as vital connections to the past.
Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:55 a.m., and about 6 p.m.
Please support Page 2 News. Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.
This Page Two article was written by Mike Chmielewski and read by Lee Henrikson.
If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on February 2, 2026.