State budget

Protecting Your Rights: Serving West Anchorage

April 7, 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This week, we take another look at the West Anchorage constituent survey responses and overall trends in budget priorities. Over several years, the dividend has become a lower priority and state services - including public education and public safety - have become more important to Alaskans.

In other news, thank you to all who attended the Anchorage Town Hall, and to everyone who voted in the Anchorage Municipal elections.

Anchorage Town Hall

Thank you to everyone who attended the Anchorage Delegation Town Hall on Saturday, both in-person and on-line. It was great to hear from so many Anchorage citizens about the challenges facing our state.

We heard loud and clear that Anchorage residents want more funding for our schools. The issue of education funding is a key priority for many, and I'm grateful to the constituents that continue to voice their opinions on this important issue.

If you missed the townhall, you can watch the recording here.

Constituent Survey Results

Thank you to all who completed our constituent survey! We received over 550 responses. To see the complete results, please watch our video or review last week's e-news.

Dividends, Taxes, and Education

Every year, our constituent survey shows a growing trend: Alaskans want the legislature to maintain funding for essential services and prefer an affordable dividend without new taxes that would effectively be used to increase dividend payments.

This trend is confirmed both by our constituent survey and the Alaska Chamber of Commerce polls. We consistently ask constituents for their perspective on the Permanent Fund dividend: In order to balance the dividend with new revenue or budget cuts, how big should the annual dividend be?

In our constituent survey, we consistently ask about a surplus dividend, a reduced dividend, and a statutory dividend. A surplus dividend pays a dividend using the money that is leftover after paying for essential services, between $0-$750. The survey describes a reduced dividend as $750-$1500. And a statutory dividend follows the formula set out in law. This year, a statutory dividend would be $4,200.

Our constituent survey results show that support for a statutory dividend is declining.

Constituent Survey Results 2023-2025

	Surplus or Reduced	Statutory
2023 Survey Results	78%	22%
2024 Survey Results	82%	18%
2025 Survey Results	84%	16%

State Chamber of Commerce polls the last two years confirm these results. A substantial majority of Alaskans favor no new taxes and an affordable dividend. In the Chamber's 2024 poll, when presented with two Permanent Fund dividend amount options – one requiring unspecified taxes and the other not – a majority of Alaskans (74%) were opposed to increasing taxes to increase the Permanent Fund dividend, 18% supported increasing taxes, and 8% were unsure.

Other findings from that poll include:

A majority of Alaskans (58%) strongly oppose introducing a sales tax to increase the Permanent Fund dividend, while 18% strongly support.
When presented with three tax options to increase the Permanent Fund dividend, only 18% supported a sales tax, with less support for an increase in property taxes, and even less support for increasing the state motor fuel tax. The opposition for all types increased from 2023.

As we face significant budget challenges with lower oil prices, the Legislature is considering funding for essential state services--public safety, public education, and public health; whether to raise revenue through new or modified taxes; and the Permanent Fund dividend.

One option to address the deficit and invest in public education is to lower the amount of the Permanent Fund dividend. In contrast, paying a larger dividend makes it difficult to maintain essential state services, including public education.

On the question of whether to raise revenue through new or modified taxes, recent events in Anchorage further reflect some limits on public support for new taxes. In March, the Anchorage Assembly voted against putting a sales tax proposition on the ballot in September. And last week, preliminary results (discussed below) show Anchorage voters approving 8 bond and levy proposals and rejecting a tax levy for police vehicles and a bond for improvements in Girdwood. Municipal voters' approval of 8 of 10 bond and levy proposals reflects the public demand that the Legislature must carefully review any new revenue proposal.

We are continuing to work for a balanced budget that ensures adequate funding for essential state services, including public safety, public health, and public education.

Municipal Election

Vote-by-mail ballots are still coming in, and the results for the Anchorage Municipal election are not final. The Municipality has released some initial, unofficial results.

As of April 3rd, 53,000 ballots were counted, putting turnout at just over 22%. That number will rise as the MOA receives more ballots by mail.

Initial results show incumbent Assembly members Daniel Volland and Kameron Perez-Verdia maintaining their seats. The following new candidates are also on track to win four open seats (where no incumbent ran):

Jared Goecker (District 2, Chugiak/Eagle River)
Erin Baldwin-Day (District 4, Midtown)
Yarrow Silvers (District 5, East Anchorage)
Keith McCormick (District 6, South Anchorage)

For school board, incumbents Margo Bellamy and Kelly Lessens are set to keep their seats.

Most of the bond proposals are on track to pass, including Proposition 1, which would pay for capital improvements for the Anchorage School District. Proposition 8, approving bonds for the Girdwood Valley Service Area, and a Proposition 11, a special tax levy to pay for police vehicles, are both on track to fail.

For full results, visit the Municipality website here.

Community Information

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Every April we recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to not only raise awareness about child abuse and neglect in Alaska, but also to support the primary prevention of it. By giving children, youth, families, and communities the knowledge, skills, supports, and resources they need, we can create a thriving Alaska where every child grows up safe and healthy. Because when parents and caregivers have what they need before problems arise, children and youth can thrive.

ISER Snowload Study

This National Science Foundation-funded research project will determine how historic snowfall (2023-2024) affected households, particularly their homes and roofs within the Municipality of Anchorage.

Residents are asked to take a 5-10-minute online survey to assess risk perceptions, understand actions to address snow loads, and document any barriers that made it difficult for residents to do anything. The primary goal of this project is to determine policies or programs that can help people in the future.

You can take the survey here.

Community Events

Anchorage Transportation Fair

When: Tuesday, April 15th from 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Where: Alaska Airlines Center, Auxiliary Gym, (3550 Providence Dr)

Mark your calendars for the Anchorage Transportation Fair Learn about road, rail, pedestrian, air, and safety projects being planned and designed near you! To learn more, visit the website: www.anchorage-transportation-fair.com