Senate Thinks Big: $5,500 In Checks For Every Alaskan

May 10th, 2022

UPDATE 

State Senate Proposes $5,500 PFD/Energy Proposal For Every Alaskan  

 

Alaska State Capitol (Wikipedia) 

Don't Hold Your Breath

State House Has Other Ideas 

The Alaska Senate has just approved a "full statutory" $4,200 permanent fund dividend – along with a $1,300 one-time energy relief check for all Alaska residents. This brings their proposal of what should be disbursed to Alaskans to $5,500 – for each resident.

In the process, the Senate did not forward fund schools. 

The House will now take up the issue. 

 

Because the Senate does not have sole authority, this probably means the $5,500 will quite possibly not materialize. 

 

The House already approved in April a significantly smaller package: $2,600 total for each Alaskan which included a $1,300 dividend and $1,300 for energy relief. 

The last time a very high package was distributed to Alaskans was 14 years ago, in 2008. Benefitting from high energy prices, and money coming into Alaska's coffers, Governor Sarah Palin promoted a similar $1,200 "one-time payment" to help Alaskans deal on a personal basis with the hit that the energy prices gave them at home. 

 

The PFD that year was $2,069. So the total amount each Alaskan got was $3,269. (Adjusted for inflation, $3,269 in 2008 is now equal to $4,339 today.) Almost immediately, the Great Recession began.

 

 

May 9th, 2022

Details Of
Plan Not Yet Completely Clear

 

The Alaska State Senate is supporting the idea of trying to help the public pay for the high energy costs people in Alaska are now facing. The Senate has voted for a $1,300 energy payment, on top of the permanent fund dividend. 

 

In rural Alaska, the cost of energy — including electricity and gas – has skyrocketed this winter. In the Copper Valley, electricity has been extraordinarily expensive, leading Copper Valley Electric to explore alternate sources, such as nuclear energy. 

 

Gas is over $5 a gallon in Glennallen.