“He’s honest,” says one resident.
“We have no sales tax, thanks to
him,” says another.
“I’ve never seen a dog mess with him.
Canines respect him, too.”
They were being given away in front of Nagley’s General Store–a cardboard
box wriggling with litter of kittens, and one without a tail burrowing near the
back. Lauri Stec, manager of the general store chose him to keep, and called
the kitten Stubbs.
The fortuitous morning would bring happy changes to the Alaskan town of
Talkeetna, population: 800 humans. It’s a town that people often pass through
on their way to Mount McKinley, and where dogs are allowed to roam free and
outnumber the human population.
It’s also a place where residents speak their mind, and though the town is
designated a “historic district” they still very much need and want a mayor who
represents them well.
Enter the kitten named Stubbs, who became a popular attraction at Nagley’s with the locals as soon as he made himself comfortable.
Enter the kitten named Stubbs, who became a popular attraction at Nagley’s with the locals as soon as he made himself comfortable.
So when the town
voters weren’t content with any of the human candidates on the ballot in the
mayoral election, Stubbs was written in as a candidate. Stubbs won.
That was 15 years ago and during that time the kitten (formality took over
once he became the “fat cat” of the town, so it’s been “Mr.” ever since) has
taken Talkeetna from anonymity to a tourist attraction.
But if you think voting Mr. Stubbs in as mayor was only some kind of prank
or a huge publicity stunt, well, the resident’s couldn’t be happier with their
tax-free situation, or the fact that their mayor (who has a Facebook following
of over 6,000 subscribers) is the talk of the town. Yes, the cat brings in
tourists who want to meet the town’s feline mayor and shake his han—I mean,
scratch his back or say hello. But after they do, they usually also have lunch
at Mountain High Pizza Pie or the West Rib Cafe & Pub, and shop at stores,
well—like Nagley’s.
“He doesn’t raise our taxes-we have no sales tax, and he doesn’t
interfere with business,” says Lauri Stec.
And like any good mayor, Mr. Stubbs also pays daily visits to most of the
establishments in town. “He’s always in the restaurant,” says Todd Basilone, of
Mountain High Pizza Pie. “Stubbs wanders into every place in town.”
And what about Mr. Mayor Stubbs himself? How does he feel about running a
town since he was an infant, and about dozens of onlookers who come every day
to Talkeetna, Alaska, just to see him? Rumor has it that some of this attention
has made Mayor Stubbs as demanding at times as a human.
“Throughout the day I have to take care of the mayor,” said Skye Farrar, a
clerk at Nagley’s. “He meowed and demanded to be picked up and put on the
counter and taken away from the tourists. Then he had his long, afternoon nap.”
Well, wouldn’t you want to have a few special tax-free–and in this case,
mostly dollar-free–perks while enjoying your dream job?
For Mayor Stubbs, that seems to be drinking water from a wine glass
laced with catnip, and then curling up in front of one of the local businesses
for a nice long nap afterwards–which seems to make both the town and its
visitors very happy.
Kudos to the residents for their wise choice & good taste!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Kathy. In fact, the residents of TALKEETNA and the tourists who visit have nothing but good things to say about how the tax-free town has been run for the last 15 years under the watchful eye of Mayor Mr. Stubbs!Animals have such integrity, don't they?
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