I say it's time Alaska makes some fundamental changes in the way it pays out the Permanent Fund dividend (PFD). Let's make some changes as to who is eligible to receive it. Let's create a grandfather clause.

Every Alaska citizen eligible to receive the PFD in 2013 will see absolutely no change in the system. We also maintain the current one-calendar year Alaska resident requirement.

Starting in 2014 only Alaskan adults eligible to vote would receive the PFD. Eligible means just that. It should not be tied to whether or not you actually vote. This requirement may also help prevent certain groups of individuals having multiple children just to receive numerous PFDs.

Eligible to vote also means that felons would also not be eligible to receive the PFD. Let's clean up the system a bit.

-- Eric Olenick

Anchorage