Politics

Parnell to announce PFD, prompting complaints of politicking from campaign rival

JUNEAU -- Gov. Sean Parnell Wednesday will announce the amount of the 2014 Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, after having skipped the last two dividend announcements, a move that prompted one of his political opponent to accuse him of politicizing the announcement.

Alaska Dispatch News has estimated this year's dividend, which comes from the earnings of the Alaska Permanent Fund, at about $1,930. The higher number comes as fund investments and the multi-year calculation formula suggest a dividend rebounding from the last two years' lows of $900 or less.

Parnell is running for re-election this year, along with lieutenant governor candidate Dan Sullivan.

One of Parnell's opponents, Byron Mallott, running for lieutenant governor along with candidate for governor Bill Walker on a non-partisan "unity" ticket, is accusing Parnell of politicizing the dividend announcement.

Mallott, a former chair of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation's Board of Trustees, as well as its executive director, said that the amount of the dividend is set by law based on a five-year rolling average of investment returns, and that Parnell's attempt to associate himself with the fund's performance is misguided.

"The dividend belongs to Alaska's citizens and to politicize the announcement is a perversion of a constitutional trust," Mallott said.

Mallott said he tried to protect the fund from politics when he was with the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, and he'd advocate for that position in a Walker-Mallott administration.

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Parnell campaign spokesman Luke Miller said there was precedent for the governor making the announcement himself.

"Governor Parnell is doing what past governors have done in announcing the PFD amount. Importantly, the governor also announced the amount in 2011, which was not an election year," he said.

Former Govs. Sarah Palin, Frank Murkowski and Bill Sheffield each announced the dividend one time while they were governor.

In 2011 the divided amount was $1,174, with Parnell ripping open a gold-colored envelope to reveal the amount on live TV and webcast from the governor's office.

The record high dividend was in 2008, before the big stock market declines. It amounted to $2,069, and was augmented with an extra $1,200 "resource rebate" from a state treasury swollen with oil revenues.

That dividend was also announced by Parnell, then the lieutenant governor, as Gov. Palin was campaigning for the vice-presidency.

Miller said the politicization claim against Parnell shows the Walker and Mallott campaign is in trouble.

"The fact that our opponents are making political hay out of this is an act of desperation on their part," he said.

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