Securing Alaska's Future: A Stronger Permanent Fund for Everyone

Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) has been a lifeline for many families, but recent years have seen it shrink to an all-time low of $1, 000. This has left many Alaskans struggling to make ends meet. The main issue? Oil prices have dropped, and the state's budget relies heavily on them. But there's a way to fix this. The Permanent Fund was meant to be a safety net, a way to share Alaska's wealth with its people. But over the years, it's been raided and mismanaged. To ensure a stable PFD for generations, the Fund needs to be turned into a protected endowment. This means combining the Earnings Reserve and principal into one account that's off-limits to politicians. It also means setting a sustainable draw limit, so the Fund isn't drained. The current system is broken. It's unpredictable and unreliable. A protected endowment would change that. It would allow the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation to invest more aggressively, leading to higher returns and larger dividends over time. Plus, any changes to the Fund should require a direct vote from the people. This isn't about politics. It's about giving Alaskans the certainty they deserve. Alaska is a great place to raise a family. But to keep it that way, the Permanent Fund needs to be strengthened. It's time to make the Fund unbreakable, so that every Alaskan can count on a reliable dividend, no matter what happens in the oil market.