For the last 5 years the Permanent Fund Dividend that all eligible Alaskans receive have been unjustly diminished. The formula for the paid amount has not been followed, thanks to the powers that be in Alaska. All Alaskans have been receiving a smaller portion of their dividend every year, and the other half it is unclear where it goes to the common people.

All we know is the amount is announced, it is smaller than what it should be, and we should just be ‘grateful’ for anything. This is unjustified and an abuse of power. Many Alaskans, myself included, rely on the dividends to make ends meet for family expenses, bills, child expenses - for life. However, the people in power in our great state continue to dip into the funds that should be going to the people.

In 2016, the PFD payout as calculated by the Statute would have been $2,083. However, the amount that was actually distributed that year was $1,022. A PFD loss of $1,061 - over half. 

In 2017, the PFD payout was calculated at $2,390. The distributed amount was $1,100 - a PFD loss of $1,290. In 2018 the PFD payout was calculated at $2,982. The distributed amount was $1,600 - a PFD loss of $1,382. 

In 2019, we should have received $2,884, the distributed amount was $1,606 - a loss of $1,278. In 2020, we should have received $2,895, the distributed amount was $992 - a loss of $1,903. And now in 2021, we should be receiving a full statutory amount of $3,800. Instead, the House voted on August 31st to give a payout amount of $1,100, an amount in which is not fully funded for an unknown reason,  and will therefore be only $619 - a loss of $3,181.

Taking the above information into account, every eligible Alaskan since 2016 has not been paid a grand total of $8,805. If the earnings on the sums for each respected years is taken into account, that would bring the amount to $13,564, excluding the earning sums on the 2021 PFD. 

This is a heinous crime on the people of Alaska. The Permanent Fund Dividend is in place for the people, for their land oil rights. It is not a free handout, the oil and gas industries benefit from it and the PFD is our compensation. The ‘garnishing’ of our dividends has been getting worse over the years and nothing is being done about it. Therefore, this petition is being made to make all aware of the actual earnings of the PFD and the grossly underpaid amounts we have been receiving.

We need to make a change to the way the PFD is handled, or we need an immediate large final payout of the Permanent Fund that is not garnished or tampered with, and to do away with the dividends altogether.