Alaska Matters: Constituent Survey Results

Protecting Your Rights: Serving West Anchorage

March 30, 2023

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Thank you to all who took the time to participate in the constituent survey and share your thoughts. The results are below.

Constituent Survey Results

This year, nearly 455 friends and neighbors from across Senate District H completed our constituent survey!

We appreciate your input and will keep your views in mind as the session continues. Having compiled the information and analyzed the results, we have some key takeaways in this email and in this week's video update:

Watch my latest video update

67% of West Anchorage constituents gave the Governor's FY2024 budget proposal a failing grade (D or F).
72% support using Permanent Fund earnings to help pay for essential services.
78% believe we should not pay a statutory dividend and 73.7% chose increasing the dividend payment as their last choice for using any new revenue.
69% of West Anchorage constituents support Alaska returning to a pension retirement program for public employees.
82% of West Anchorage constituents believe Alaska should continue to fully support Medicaid expansion.

Here are the results of our survey:

Question #1

Governor Dunleavy’s FY2024 proposed budget largely flat funds services, adds no new revenue or taxes, and includes a Permanent Fund dividend payment totaling $3,900 (costing approximately $2.4 billion). While the governor’s budget doesn’t propose overdrawing the Earnings Reserve Account (ERA), if approved, it would leave us with a $265 million deficit to be paid from savings accounts. What grade do you give the Governor’s FY2024 budget proposal?

Question #2

In 2018, Senate Bill 26 (AS 37.13.140) established a cap on the annual withdrawal from the Permanent Fund Earnings Reserve Account (ERA) to ensure the ERA is available for future generations to support the costs of state government—including public education, public safety, public health, infrastructure projects, and dividends. There is competition between essential government services and dividends for funds from the sustainable draw required by AS 37.13.140. Understanding that the principal of the Permanent Fund is constitutionally protected, do you support or oppose prioritizing Permanent Fund earnings to pay for essential services, even if it means limiting the dividend payment?

Question #3

Balancing the state budget will likely require a contribution of spending cuts, changes to the dividend, and new revenue. For the following choices, what best reflects your position:

A. Budget Cuts

B. Dividends

C. New Revenue

Question #4

In what areas of government do you think the legislature should prioritize spending?

Education: (weighted average 2.71)
Public Safety: (weighted average 3.73)
Roads and Road Maintenance: (weighted 4.20)
Infrastructure Projects: (weighted average 4.41)
Senior Benefits: (weighted average 4.89)
Alaska Marine Highway: (weighted average 5.08)
Health & Social Services: (weighted average 5.13)
$3,900 Permanent Fund Dividend: (weighted average 6.69)
Oil and Gas Tax Credits: (weighted average 6.96)
Other*

*“Other” responses included: Workforce Development, Homelessness, Teacher Retirement Reinstatement, Renewable Energy, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation, and more.

We analyzed these results using a “weighted average” formula in which the lower number shows stronger support. The weighted average formula calculates the average value of particular responses. Applied to the ranked choices, the lower number reflects greater support for the choice and the higher number reflects less support. For example, the “Education” response has a weighted average of 2.71, which shows that many constituents ranked this choice as their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd choice.

Question #5

Which of the following new revenue measures would you support?

Sales Tax: (weighted average 1.83)

Income Tax: (weighted average 1.84)

Increased Motor Fuel Tax: (weighted average 2.04)

Education Head Tax: (weighted average 2.07)

State Lottery: (weighted average 2.20)

I do not support any of these measures: (weighted average 0.13)*

*9.7% chose "I do not support any of these measures" as their first or only choice.

Question #6

If we raise new revenue through a sales tax, income tax, modifications to oil and gas taxes, or other revenue measure, we should use the new revenue to:

Pay for public education: teachers, schools, and training (weighted average: 1.56)

Pay for public safety: police, troopers, and prosecutors (weighted average: 2.11)

Pay for infrastructure projects: roads, airports, and ports (weighted average: 2.22)

Increase the dividend payment and help pay for dividends (weighted average: 3.11)*

*73.7% chose increasing the dividend payment as their last choice for using any new revenue.

Question #7

Alaska is the only state without a pension retirement program for public employees. Do you support Alaska returning to a pension retirement program for public employees?

Question #8

Today, more than 71,000 Alaskans have health coverage made possible by Medicaid expansion. Under federal law, Alaska will pay no more than 10% of these costs and federal funds pay 90%. The medical services industry is one of Alaska’s strongest sectors. Alaska should: