GOP lawmakers in the Alaska House Finance Committee unanimously opposed a committee substitute for the state operating budget that effectively zeroes out the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend in the operating budget.
The PFD elimination was part of a new committee substitute for House Bill 263 (State Operating Budget) that was adopted Feb. 11 in a 6-5 partisan vote.
“The full House Finance Committee should have had the opportunity to carefully deliberate the impacts and intent of these structural changes to the budget,” Rep. Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan said. “Making the decision in a vacuum to advance this proposed substitute is not best practice.”
Rep. Will Stapp (R-Fairbanks) pointed out that the committee substitute deposits the entirety of the draw from the earnings reserve account to the general fund, leaving nothing for PFD payments to Alaska residents.
While House Finance Chairman Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage) repeatedly emphasized that this is only a “starting point” and that PFD money could be added in at a later time, Stapp maintained his objection to the move.
“We went from a budget deficit to a budget surplus because they deleted the permanent fund dividend from the budget,” he said following the Feb. 11 vote. “Just so the public understands, how we are getting to a surplus is there is no appropriation for a PFD currently. This is not the norm. This is an intentional choice to put all of the funds that we typically appropriate for the permanent fund dividend into the general fund for future appropriation.”
Rep. Elexie Moore (R-Wasilla) echoed her GOP colleagues concerns.
“There are serious policy implications here,” she said. “This is not normal, and we should not be moving forward in this way. Alaskans deserve a budget process that is clear, transparent and certain.”
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Rep. Frank Tomaszewski (R-Fairbanks) said the Democrat Majority’s move to exclude the PFD from the budget will only hurt families. He vowed to fight to restore the PFD to the budget as the legislative session progresses.
“While this change impacts the financial security many people rely on, I remain confident in our ability to find a path forward,” he said. “I will continue to advocate for a comprehensive fiscal plan that provides lasting stability for Alaska, ensuring that the PFD remains a reliable pillar for households. I am committed to working toward a sustainable solution that honors our commitments and strengthens our state for generations to come.”
Rep. Jamie Allard (R-Eagle River) was more pointed, suggesting that failure to appropriate funds to the dividend is a failure to follow Alaska statute.
“We swore to follow the law as legislators,” she said. “This is breaking the trust of all Alaskans.”
3 Comments
And there it is – out of the darkness and into the light: it only took 10 years from that moment Governor Walker started the shrinking of Alaskans’ cut of the earnings (the PFD) to ZERO. 0% for us and 100% for State of Alaska. Now will the public stand up and say NO to this reduction of the PFD to zero or just wring their hands and vote these same economically challenged idiots back to office, again and again? Because we all know that the government can spend your dollars better than you or I can.
Quoting Cathy Giessel circa March 28, 2024 where she believes the PFD would be better spent by the STATE instead of Alaskans spending their PFD on Alaska Airlines tickets and merchandise from AMAZON. “The dividend money can be used to build Alaska’s economy and infrastructure, benefitting us and generations to come. Instead we are sending 20% of it to the IRS, and the rest out of state (via Alaska Airlines and Amazon).” State Senator District E, Senate Majority Leader, Senator Cathy Giessel Newsletter, UPDATES
SO WHAT? It’s the people’s money spend any way the want, you don’t have a say in how they should spend it and to not take every last penny of their PFD away by not including it in the operating budget.
Out of curiosity, does anyone have a link to the democrats actual excuses for trying this? They’re lacking in this article and it’s ruining my goal. I’m trying to see how much of it I can read before I roll my eyes so hard they get permanently stuck.
Will not somebody stand up and tell these thieves that it isn’t their damned money? How hard is that to do? Somebody read the laws and get us back on track, please? Anyone? Bueller?