Alaskans have only a few more days of mystery until they learn the amount of this year's Permanent Fund dividend checks -- Gov. Bill Walker plans to announce it on Monday.
The announcement of this year's PFD value, widely expected to increase from 2014's $1,884, will be made by Walker at the Atwood Building in downtown Anchorage at 10 a.m. Monday.
Last month, Alaska Dispatch News estimated this year's take for individual Alaskans in the vicinity of $2,100. The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. made its largest-ever annual transfer to the dividend account -- nearly $1.375 billion -- this year. Roughly 670,000 Alaskans are eligible.
Some Alaskans are hoping PFD applications might help swell the state's rolls of voters, as well as the number of Alaskans receiving dividend cash. That's why they're collecting signatures for a ballot initiative, which if placed before Alaskans and approved in a general election, would allow PFD applicant information to double as information for state voter ID applications.
The state typically distributes dividends to successful applicants through direct deposits and mailed checks in early October.