Letter to the editor

Rethinking the PFD for Alaska’s future

To the editor:

Each year, Alaskans debate how large the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) check should be. But maybe the real question isn’t how much—we should ask whether we’re using this resource the right way at all.

We’re already seeing the consequences of crisis-level budget cuts: education, public safety, infrastructure—all strained because we haven’t reimagined how to use one of Alaska’s most valuable assets. Instead of sending out unpredictable annual checks, what if we took a smarter, long-term approach? We could distribute a final series of payments and then redirect the remaining fund to sustainable public investments that benefit all Alaskans—especially our most vulnerable.

Some say the PFD is a “free market” benefit, but the truth is, it’s a government handout. It was useful once, but it’s no longer sustainable. A $1,000 check won’t fix our schools, lower healthcare costs, or strengthen rural services—but reinvesting in Alaska can. We owe it to the next generation to make this hard, responsible choice.

Caleb Hill,

Palmer