Issue Position: Protect the Dividend

Issue Position

The Permanent Fund and Permanent Fund Dividend program belong to the people. I also believe they serve as the best example of our state government getting something right. Governor Hammond and others knew what they were doing. It was never broken, and does not need to be "fixed."
In 2016, Governor Walker broke Alaskans' trust along with his campaign promise and cut your PFD in half with his veto. He took $1,100 from every man woman and child in our state. With a stroke of the pen, our people and private sector took a $666 million hit; and have again every year since. That's over $13,000 for a family of four and $2 billion from our economy in just three short years.
No candidate for governor has filed more bills and amendments to restore and protect the PFD. For example, I sponsored SB 1 in 2017 which called for restoring to Alaskans the amount that was vetoed in 2016 by Governor Walker.
I believe the best path forward is clear. The Permanent Fund needs to be protected, and there is no better way to do that than honoring our obligations and paying a full PFD. It worked for over 30 years, and it's the law. Other schemes only take money out of the hands of Alaskans and deliver it to government. I trust you to spend the money more wisely.
As your governor, I will follow the law and fully fund the PFD and inflation proofing. With a value in excess of $65 billion, the Alaska Permanent Fund is an unqualified success story. Any proposed changes to the structure of the Permanent Fund or the PFD must first go to the voters for approval.

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