Rep. Zack Fields got it right in his recent ADN commentary when he pointed out that by reducing Alaska’s huge expenditures on Permanent Fund dividends ($883 million last year), we could have top-rate public services. In turn, excellent education, transportation and infrastructure, especially excellent public schools, would attract young people to Alaska and reverse the current outflow of productive citizens.
As he put it, “blindly distributing PFDs has a dire opportunity cost — a shattered education system and rising energy costs that threaten to cripple our broader economy.” He said, “I don’t know a single educated, productive family who moved to Alaska to get a PFD, but I know far too many who left as our education system and infrastructure crumble.”
— Janet McCabe
Anchorage
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