Anchorage Assessor Resigns over Enstar Pipeline Dispute

Anchorage's longtime property assessor has resigned.

The Anchorage Daily News reports Marty McGee quit after concluding that he was undermined by his boss, the city's top financial officer, over his assessment of a pipeline belonging to Enstar Natural Gas Co.

The higher assessment led to a property tax increase. Enstar disputed the assessment and in a June settlement, received more than $1 million back from the city.

McGee says his former boss, chief financial officer Lucinda Mahoney, granted Enstar's appeal of the assessment rather than fighting it.

Mahoney says her decision was in the city's best interest.

She says the appeal was taking too long and that the city would have been liable for returning three years of disputed taxes plus interest if it had lost the case.