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Alaska’s Permanent Fund and the Future: A 2008 Survey of Alaskans Age 18+

by Susan L. Silberman, Ph.D., AARP Knowledge Management, AARP Research, January 2009

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AARP’s Alaska State Office, in its commitment to enhance quality of life for all as people age, commissioned this survey to explore the views of registered voters in Alaska on how the Permanent Oil Trust Fund should be used now and in the future.  The survey examines Alaskans’ views about their personal and family economic situation as well as their levels of satisfaction with both their local communities and their state. 

Key Findings

  • More than half of Alaska voters would prefer to pay a state tax, such as a sales or income tax, to pay for government services.  Respondents age 45-64 are more likely to prefer paying a tax for government services than those in other age groups.
  • Half of Alaska voters say the Permanent Fund should only be used for individual dividends, while another 4 in 10 residents say the Fund should be used for both individual dividends and to fund government services.
  • If the Fund were to be used for government services, 49% of respondents would support using it for both state and local government services. 
  • 63% are not worried about people coming to Alaska just for the dividend money.

This telephone survey was conducted November 10-25, 2008, among 801 randomly selected registered voters age 18 and older. Data were weighted to represent the actual distribution of age and gender among registered voters in the state. For more information, contact Susan Silberman at 202-434-6339. (22 pages)