The PFD

I support a full, statutory PFD. A dividend is a proven way we can assure that there is public support for protecting the Permanent Fund itself. It is deeply unfair that the budget has been balanced on the back of working Alaskans through cuts to the PFD while the wealthiest companies on the planet are receiving over $1.3 billion in oil tax credits for work they have already planned out in legacy fields. Without getting rid of these tax credits we are stuck in the dilemma of funding state services vs. the full statutory PFD. If the statutory PFD formula is something the legislature cannot fund because it is causing a Governor to veto funds for public safety, corrections, DOT, the education system – or alternatively – raiding the permanent fund to make up the difference between a full statutory PFD and state services – then the legislature should change the statute to reflect economic and political reality. I support constitutionalizing the dividend at a rate that is indexed to reflect the earnings of the Fund, that establishes a ceiling on Earnings Reserve draws to adequately inflation proof the corpus of the fund, and that provides Alaskans their rightful share of their resource wealth.