3. Do You Believe That Actually Cutting The Growth Of Government Spending Will Benefit Alaskans and Protect the PF & PFD?

We want to get the 'straight scoop' from candidates about their PF/PFD stance before publishing something about where the AKgov race stands.

*Bonus Question: Do You Support 'SJR1' as introduced by Senator Wielechowski?

Responses Below:

Protect the PFD Questions
Senator Mark Begich

1. Do you support inflation-proofing the Fund Corpus and the Earnings Reserve Account?

Yes. My plan to protect the Permanent Fund Dividend includes constitutionally protecting the PFD and inflation-proofing the Corpus. I would immediately move roughly $14 billion from the Earnings Reserve into the Corpus of the Fund, so that the legislature cannot continue to raid the Earnings Reserve to plug holes in the operating budget without a vote of the people. Inflation-proofing is necessary to maintain the strength of the Permanent Fund over the long-term – any plan that doesn’t include it cannot truly protect the Fund or the Dividend.

2. Do you support restoration of the statutory calculations and constitutionally protecting that change?

I support putting the calculation to determine the Dividend into the Alaska Constitution so that the Legislature and Governor cannot tinker with the formula year after year and use our Dividend as a political football. My plan to protect the Dividend and its formula in the constitution calls for using the POMV formula, with 50% of that amount dedicated to the Dividend, and the other 50% constitutionally-guaranteed to fund pre-K through 12 education. My plan also provides room for the Dividend to grow – with no cap. I support a constitutional amendment because it is the only way to have a binding vote of the people that protects the dividend and takes it out of the hands of politicians.

3. Do you believe that actually cutting the growth of government spending will benefit Alaskans and protect the Permanent Fund and Permanent Fund Dividend?

The first thing we need to do is take the Permanent Fund and Dividend off the table – so politicians can’t raid the money to fund operating budgets and pet projects. That is why I believe a constitutional amendment is the only way to permanently protect the Permanent Fund Dividend. Over the past four years, the Legislature has slashed state spending across the board, and we’ve seen the results – Alaska is #1 in crime, #1 in unemployment, and #46 in education. I don’t believe we can simply cut our way to a stronger future. As governor, I’ll maximize efficiency of existing state programs and bring Alaskans together to identify smart investments including public safety, education, and infrastructure to put our state back on track to long-term fiscal health and stability.

Mike Dunleavey:

Yes to all. Please review the attached statement: 
“I strongly support preserving the Permanent Fund Dividend program. The amount of the annual PFD should be determined according to the law that has been on the books for decades. I support protecting the traditional PFD program in the state constitution. I believe that no change to the structure of the Permanent Fund Dividend program should be made without a vote of the people – now or at any time in the future. Also, I support paying back to Alaskans the dividends that were owed to them but not paid.”

Billy Toien:

1. Yes
2. Yes
3a. Cutting the growth of government will benefit Alaskans because too much government stifles human potential; but not because it can't be afforded. IT CAN, i.e. after the State's true finances both on, & off-budget are put back in order. No other candidate will do this. I WILL. 
3b. No.

Dunleavy for Governor. The only one who truly wants what is best for all Alaskans!

Spendowitch has shown over and over again that keeping Alaskans under the thumb of our seeming ever growing government and the powers they have is what is best for all Alaska. Expanding dependence on “Welfare” which in Alaska, many call that Subsistence Living.  Politadick

I think “Call” says it best, that completely covers what I just said:

( “Working in rural Alaska, I realized they are usually the first group around the state that gets hit with any economic impact that is not good and sometimes slower to get the economic impact when it is good," she said. "The resources that we depend upon as a state are not on the hillside they are not in downtown Anchorage. They are out in rural Alaska. So taking care of rural Alaska creates that balance in the state that makes us remember that we are all here working toward that same goal.”)

Vote Red! Stop the “We believe Social Welfare is an “Entitlement” because of where you live and what race you come from”!  Politadick

It’s already evident by what KTUU 2 has said, that this is their ultimate goal, by claiming they are defined by blood type and not gender.  Politadick

At this point there is nothing the State isn’t already doing better then everyplace else in all the world.

Alaska has always been best and leading example the rest of the world tries to follow on how to preserve the environment.  Politadick

What he says inside should scare the crap out of you!

I think I will be re-sharing this one Until November Elections are over.  Poiltadick

Inform yourselves about the Judges, several of them need to go!  Politadick

At times, there have been Supreme Court Justices or Superior Court Judges who have blatantly attempted to legislate from the bench and either create law out of thin air or throw out laws that have been passed constitutionally by the Legislature, Governor or people through the initiative process. We've done our best to alert voters about these activist judges.

Most of the time, however, judges rule from the bench and remain under radar. But when they are up for retention, Alaskans need information.

In an effort to add some transparency to the process, we did a little research on followthemoney.org. A wise man once said, “Show me your check register and I’ll tell you what you value”. Rather than simply looking at who’s contributing to the current 15 judicial candidates, we went a step further and looked at who the candidates themselves have historically contributed to.

Four (4) out of the 7 judges (57%) who made contributions to candidates for public office gave to Democrats. The remaining were gifts to non-partisan, independent or not designated. Not judges up for retention gave to Republican candidates.

As always, use this info and more you can find to cast an informed vote.

Not surprised to see most of the Judges with a D in their name parties names, have been the ones who have ruled against established laws over the years.

Morse is one of those that definitely needs to go. 
That is the PFD stealing Judge.  Politadick