About Anchorage County, AK

America's top 10 tax-friendly cities

By Kiplinger's

It's not what you earn, it's what you keep that often dictates your standard of living. With that in mind, take this quick tour of the ten cities in the nation that have the lowest overall tax burden. These cities came out on top (er, at the bottom, really) of the 2007-2008 District of Columbia Tax Rates and Tax Burdens Survey for the largest city in each state, plus D.C.

1. Anchorage, Alaska

Income tax: $0
Property tax: $2,572
Sales tax: $0
Auto tax: $165

Click Below For Article

http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=18956823#1

Fully Accredited Alaska Real Estate School

Captain Wayne Rowlett welcomes you to the finest in educational services. Please take a few moments to explore our site http://www.rowlettcareerschool.com/ak-alaska.htm where you will find detailed information on our full service online courses.

The Rowlett Career School is one of the leading educational services in Alaska. We provide state approved online courses for pre, post and Continuing Education (CEU) for the Real Estate industry and many other professional state licensed occupations.

Please feel free and safe in navigating around this site and our links. You will find that this site and our links are of no-nonsense with no pop-ups or gimmicks of any kind. I think this site will be of great value to you and please add us to your favorites list. Thank you and welcome aboard. ~Captain Wayne~

In our bookstore, http://www.rowlettcareerschool.com/us-bookstore.htm we offer the most extensive and comprehensive collection of real estate educational materials available. Our products cover a full range of real estate industry topics.

You can be on your way to becoming an Alaska Professional in just One Click of the mouse! Join over 1,000,000+ students achieving greater success using our proven distance education solutions. The provided courses meet or exceed the state requirements necessary in both preparing for and passing the intended state exam or in meeting continuing education requirements.

Knowing what is important to the regulators and having the correct information is the secret to passing a state license exam. One of your first decisions is whether to take a course in-class or online. The first time passing rates for the online courses meet or exceed the in-class instruction! The key to success in today's Real Estate Profession is the foundation of knowledge---this is where you must begin!

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For more information about our courses, school policy, state requirements and system requirements, simply select your choice of careers to the right and begin the registration process to become one Alaska's licensed professionals. http://www.rowlettcareerschool.com/ak-alaska.htm

Online Courses.
A mouse-click away.

Alaska Real Estate Courses

• Continuing Education

Alaska Appraisal

• Appraisal Exam Prep
• Continuing Education

Alaska Home Inspection

• ASHI Courses
• NAHI Courses
• NACHI Courses

Alaska Mortgage Broker

• Not at this time

Consumer Ed. Courses

• Credit Restoration
• Foreclosure Prevention
• Personal Financial Management
• Saving your Home From Foreclosure
• Avoid Homebuying Mistakes

Professional Course List

• Land Surveyor (PDH)
• Professional Engineer (PDH)

• Personal & Professional Development
• Counselor

www.RowlettCareerSchool.com

The Alaska State Fair was named one of the best events (Top 100) in North America (U.S. and Canada) by the American Bus Assoication in 2008.  The Anchorage Daily News has published some special interest stories about the Alaska State Fair.  So, I thought I would give you a little history about its orgins and growth.

The Alaska State Fair traces its roots to 1936, when the farming colonists in the Matanuska Valley decided to celebrate their accomplishments in establishing a successful community in the valley.  The fair has been an annual tradition, except for the years 1942-1946 due to World War II.  The Matanuska Valley Fair Association was formed in July of 1936.  As it happened, the Knik River Bridge, which linked the valley to Anchorage, opened about the same time.  The opening of the bridge and the existing railroad make it possible for residents throughout the Alaska Territory to come together.

The first fair was a four day event starting on September 4.  Among the events at the first fair were baseball games, a horse race, boxing matches, a baby contest and, of course, a Fair Queen.  Because the fair was a celebration of success, there were hundreds of agricultural entries, including giant cabbages.  The traditional giant cabbage competition of today actually began in 1941, when Max Sherrod won the $25 prize for his 23 pound cabbage.

Much has changed and much has been added to the events and exhibits of Alaska's State Fair, but the fair has remained a time to celebrate the success of our endeavors. S o "Get Up, Get Happy" and visit the Alaska State Fair.  See you there!

Alaska State Fair Maps and Directions
Alaska State Fair Schedule

Alaska State Fair Highlights Timeline:

1936 - The first Matanuska Valley Fair.
1938 - Permanent fairgrounds are acquired.  The Palmer Pioneer Home now resides at the former fair site.
1941 - Fairgrounds acquired an additional 14 acres.
1941 - Giant Cabbage Contest is established.
1947 - 160 Exhibits
1948 - 205 exhibits
1950 - Carnival rides are added to the fair's attractions.
1951 - An air show is added to the fair's attractions.
1956 - The Fair Board petitions to make the fair the official Alaska State Fair.
1960 - 25th Anniversay attended by John F. Kennedy.
1967 - Fairgrounds acquires its present day location.
1975 - The Colony Village is established.
1997 - Pioneer Plaza and Raven Hall are completed.
1998 - The fair sets its largest attendance record: 361,804 in 18 days.
1998 - The fair set the record for the most exhibit entries: 10,890.
2000 - Fair buries time capsule to be opened in 2036.
2000 - The largest cabbage in the fair's history at 105.6 pounds (grown by Barb Everingham).
2001 - Fairgrounds acquires additional 40 acres, including the Rebarchek gravel pit.
2002 - Fairgrounds acquires the Rebarchek farmhouse along with another five acres of land.
2003 - The fair acquires the Hamilton farmhouse and an addition of 40 acres of land in exchange for the Rebarchek gravel pit.
2004 - The fair opens the Green Gate and Railroad Depot.
2007 - The fair acquires title to the Don Sheldon Events Center.
2007 - PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) features the fair's colorful flower and herb gardens, as well as the giant vegetables grown in Alaska.
2008 - The state of Alaska and the Alaska State Fair celebrate 50 years of statehood.

Pauline Hofseth, your Anchorage real estate resource

I'm not a huge fan of heights. Actually, that's a bit of an understatement. I would rather wrestle a live rattlesnake (and I really, really hate snakes) than get more than 10' off the ground.

The last time we were in Anchorage Kathy wanted to ride the tram at Alyeska but I refused. There's something about trusting my life to a hand-basket on a clothesline that is more than I can take. On this trip I lost the battle... She used the 'face your fears' line on me and like an idiot, I caved.

The Tram runs all year ferrying skiers and snowboarders in the winter and tourists and their mortified husbands in the summer. It's all quite simple really... hand the fellow at the gate your ticket, step inside the tram and in a matter of seven minutes you are whisked 2,300' up to the top of Mt. Alyeska.

Kathy was downright giddy. I was popping vicodin and wishing for a vodka chaser. There were pretty trees, mountain tops and even a rainbow but all I could think about was how the everliving hell I was going to get off the mountain. About halfway up the tram passes a tower that supports the cables from the observation deck and terra firma. The bump as the rollers crossed the support and the subsequent rocking (not unlike like a bassinet in a hurricane) just about caused me to deposit a kidney on the floor of the tram.

When we finally made it to the top, and as I crawled out of the ride from hell, I discovered just how beautiful the view from heaven really was.

The views from the top of Mt. Alyeska are just breathtaking (and panic inducing if you're too close to the edge). Located on the top level of the Tram terminal, Seven Glaciers Restaurant is a must-visit. All the restaurants at Alyeska offer mouth-watering fare, but Seven Glaciers is truly extraordinary. It's not often I offer lavish praise for a restaurant, but in this case every bite from the blueberry halibut appetizer, the moist and tender elk chop to the to-die-for Peahes Napolean was enough to guarantee a return trip... tram ride and all.

Veterans or active duty military personnel can move to Alaska and immediately qualify for in-state tuition assistance. The tuition assistance program is being offered to military dependents as well. The previous requirement of two-year residency for tuition assistance has been eliminated for any active duty personnel, veteran or their family members for all university campuses in Alaska.

The in-state tuition assistance can be combined with the new Post-911 GI Bill (effective August 1). Veterans who take advantage of the offer from Alaska University and qualify for the new Post-911 GI Bill will find that their education is practically free. Funds can be applied to tuition, books and housing costs.

Any veteran, veteran's dependent (spouse or child) or active duty personnel may take advantage of the Alaska University tuition assistance. However, the Post-911 GI Bill funds are limited. Only the veteran or one of their dependents can receive funds for an undergraduate degree.

The tuition assistance being offered to veterans and their families can result in a big savings per semester. If your tuition for a semester at an Anchorage university is $6,000, you would save about $4,000 after the tuition assistance was applied.

Veterans, this may be the opportunity of a lifetime. You can move north to Alaska and live in one of the greatest states in the nation while saving a bundle on your education. There are 16 campuses in Alaska. My favorite, of course, is Anchorage.

University Virtual Tours:

* UA Anchorage
* UA Fairbanks
* UA Southeast (Juneau)

For Tuition Assistance Information:
University of Alaska Anchorage: www.uaa.alaska.edu/financialaid/veterans.cfm
University of Fairbank:http://www.uaf.edu/veterans/.

For GI Bill Information:
Post-911 GI Bill www.gibill.va.gov.

Pauline Hofseth - Your Guide to Anchorage Real Estate