๐Ÿค” One takeaway from yesterday's HFIN hearings on the #AKGov's proposed fiscal plan is that many #akleg members, including several Rs, view their role as protecting government economics rather than #AKfam economics. The two are not necessarily aligned. https://buff.ly/zWLbSpd
We'll do the math because #HFIN won't. A $1000 PFD is an 83/17 split of the POMV draw b/w govt and #AKfams. It's a ~$7500 reduction in income to the average-sized #AKfam. Using a broad-based tax instead would take LESS from 80% of #AKfams. #akleg
Some seek to trivialize the impact of #akleg PFD cuts on #AKfams by referencing only the per PFD cut, i.e., it's ๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™ก๐™ฎ $2000/PFD. But that significantly understates the actual impact per #AKfam. Using the avg household size of 2.67, the cut is $5350 per average #AKfam (or 6% of avg #AKfam income, and significantly more for those in the middle & lower income brackets).

Some #akleg: "#NoTaxes! Use PFDcuts instead."

๐™‡๐™ค๐™จ๐™š๐™ง๐™จ? 80% of #AKfam from whom #PFDcuts take ๐™ข๐™ค๐™ง๐™š than taxes. https://bit.ly/3zoomJt

๐™’๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™ฃ๐™š๐™ง๐™จ? The Top20% who pay less & non-rez who pay ๐™ฏ๐™š๐™ง๐™ค.

So, ๐™ฌ๐™๐™ค do #NoTax'ers really rep?

Just #LookAtWhoBenefits ...

For most Alaskans, an income tax would hurt less than a PFD cut, report says

A study says cutting Permanent Fund dividends would hit middle-income Alaskans more than three times harder than a progressive income tax.

Anchorage Daily News

To slight, some call our PFD position "populist."

๐˜ฝ๐™ช๐™ฉ our position ๐™ž๐™ข๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™ค๐™ซ๐™š๐™จ the lives of 80% of #AKfams, is ๐™—๐™š๐™ฉ๐™ฉ๐™š๐™ง for the #AKecon & ๐™ฉ๐™–๐™ ๐™š๐™จ ๐™ก๐™š๐™จ๐™จ from the Top20% than PFDcuts take from working #AKfams.

That's ๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™ค-#AKfam & #AKecon, not populist. #akleg

A reminder. Using PFDcuts to fund govt reduces middle/lower income #AKfam household income and ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™˜๐™ง๐™š๐™–๐™จ๐™š๐™จ Alaska poverty levels more than any other revenue option. Janice Park and other #AKleg candidates may ๐™˜๐™ก๐™–๐™ž๐™ข they are concerned about the economics facing middle/lower income #AKfams, but if they support PFDcuts, they aren't in reality. https://buff.ly/3Blfzh9
More Anchorage residents are relying on food assistance programs

Lengthening lines at local pantries show a growing number of people in Anchorage who are food insecure. At the same time, the quantity of food donations hasnโ€™t kept pace with demand.

Anchorage Daily News

Some #akleg: "#NoTaxes! Use PFDcuts instead."

๐™‡๐™ค๐™จ๐™š๐™ง๐™จ? 80% of #AKfam from whom #PFDcuts take ๐™ข๐™ค๐™ง๐™š than taxes. https://bit.ly/3zoomJt

๐™’๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™ฃ๐™š๐™ง๐™จ? The Top20% who pay less & non-rez who pay ๐™ฏ๐™š๐™ง๐™ค.

So, ๐™ฌ๐™๐™ค do #NoTax'ers really rep?

Just #LookAtTheirDonors ...

For most Alaskans, an income tax would hurt less than a PFD cut, report says

A study says cutting Permanent Fund dividends would hit middle-income Alaskans more than three times harder than a progressive income tax.

Anchorage Daily News