Alaska Budget Choices

Key Choice: Permanent Fund Dividend

The 75% to government/25% for dividends: 41%
The law is the law--use the statutory: 19%
Permanent Fund investment returns are down;: 29%
Go with a 50/50 split of the earnings for: 11%

Revenue: Corporate Income Taxes

Increase tax rate to get 10% more in revenue: 32%
Maintain current tax structure: 51%
Increase tax rate to get 15% more in revenue: 18%

Revenue: Mining Taxes

Increase revenue from mining license taxes: 22%
Maintain current tax structure: 44%
Increase revenue from mining license taxes: 35%

Revenue: Commercial Fisheries Taxes

Increase total tax revenue 50%: 15%
Maintain current tax structure: 61%
Increase fisheries business tax 25%: 24%

Revenue: Oil & Gas Taxes

Increase revenue from oil production tax 25%: 23%
Increase revenue from oil production tax 15%: 14%
Increase revenue from oil production tax 5%: 31%
Maintain current tax structure: 32%

Revenue: Excise Taxes

Increase revenue from sin taxes 50%: 25%
Maintain current tax structure: 44%
Increase revenue from sin taxes 25%: 31%

Revenue: Fuel Taxes

Maintain current tax structure: 57%
Increase revenue from fuel taxes 50%: 14%
Increase revenue from fuel taxes 25%: 8%
Increase revenue from fuel taxes 15%: 21%

Revenue: Income Tax

Progressive tax 20% of Federal tax liability: 12%
No revenue from an income tax: 41%
Progressive tax 10% of Federal tax liability: 22%
Flat tax 4% with no exemptions: 10%
Flat tax 2% with no exemptions: 15%

Revenue: Sales Tax

No revenue from a sales tax: 46%
4% sales tax: 14%
2% sales tax: 19%
1% sales tax: 22%

Revenue: Lottery

No revenue from a lottery: 43%
Allow Draw, Instant, and Video Lottery: 34%
Allow Draw and Instant games: 13%
Allow Draw games only: 9%

Spending: K-12 Education

Reduce funding 5%: 7%
Maintain current spending: 15%
Help districts catch up; increase funding: 45%
Reduce funding 10%: 14%
Increase the BSA by 5%: 20%

Spending: Early Learning

Cut all funding for pre-K programs: 15%
Maintain current spending: 33%
Expand voluntary pre-K programs for all: 52%

Spending: University of Alaska

Maintain current level of state support: 27%
Given the state’s budget restraints, more: 21%
Reinstate all the cuts and provide: 21%
Continue to restore funding to the: 32%

Spending: Medicaid

Maintain current spending: 27%
Fund services for everyone in need,: 51%
Eliminate optional services covered by: 23%

Spending: Senior & Disability Services

Maintain current spending: 43%
Cut all non-required state funds: 15%
Increase state funding 50% to increase: 42%

Spending: Mental Health & Substance Misuse

Maintain current spending: 23%
Cut grants 50%; communities will have to: 10%
Eliminate state grants; communities will: 12%
Problems are really bad; more services are: 55%

Spending: Children's Services

Churches and communities need to do more to: 14%
Hiring and retaining social workers is an: 47%
Maintain current spending: 25%
Vulnerable children need to be protected,: 14%

Spending: Corrections

Maintain current spending: 58%
Send 300 long-term prisoners Outside: 42%

Spending: Public Safety

Boroughs with a tax base need to pay the State: 23%
Increase domestic violence grants 25%: 19%
Maintain current spending: 23%
Increase funding for troopers, safety: 35%

Spending: Criminal Prosecution & Defense

Cut budgets by 10%: 16%
Maintain current spending; no change: 42%
Increase budgets by 15%: 42%

Spending: Court System

Maintain current spending: 34%
Cut the budget 10% across the board, close: 20%
Increase 5% to make certain all offices can be: 46%

Spending: Fish & Game

Reduce in-season management, close: 15%
Maintain current spending: 50%
Fund more research and management for: 36%

Spending: Transportation

Do all it can with its current budget: 26%
Fix the roads, keep them open, and the ferries: 59%
Alaskans are going to need to get used to: 14%

Policy Option: Spending Limit

Maintain the Legislature’s current: 25%
Let voters decide; put a Constitutional: 37%
Spend within our means (not wants): 38%

Policy Option: Permanent Fund Endowment

Restructure the Permanent Fund to an: 39%
Keep the current two accounts in place: 61%

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