Here’s a response from Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan, who’s running for lieutenant governor, copied from the comments to a post on this site alleging that he had stepped in it when talking about the Permanent Fund on the Dave Stieren radio talk show recently. I wanted to highlight it because Sullivan’s response is pretty good and it’s refreshing when a public figure takes the time to do so. Judging from most of the reactions from readers, they feel similarly. Read those in the comment section here:

I didn’t step in anything Amanda. I am a big supporter of the dividend as it represents Alaskans ownership interest in our state’s wealth. Mr. Weinstrup apparently doesn’t understand that the dividend is just one part of the fund earnings. Earnings are also used to inflation proof the fund and to add to the corpus of the fund. If the corpus ever grows so large that after the dividend and inflation proofing, some earnings could be used for essential services after oil revenues are gone is certainly a discussion Alaskans will have over the next generation. This is the scenario Norway has anticipated with their Generation Fund. Growing our fund’s corpus along with controlling spending is the key and something I have firsthand experience at. As mayor I have significantly reduced the growth of government spending, produced five straight years of budget surpluses while restoring the integrity of the tax cap and saving taxpayers over $100 million in the process. Our trust fund is at an all time high. We are the only city in Alaska history to achieve a AAA bond rating and last year Kiplinger.com named us the 9th best city in America. I would say we’re doing something right. These results illustrate the skills I will bring to state government. Meanwhile, I am sure for the remaining 45 days we will have to suffer through these pathetic attempts by TPWAC (the party without a candidate) to try and manufacture ‘gotcha’ moments.