Nearly every Alaskan gets $1,022 from oil wealth fund

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Most every Alaskan will be just over a thousand dollars richer next month. Gov. Bill Walker’s office on Friday announced the amount of this year’s annual oil wealth cheque at US$1,022. The cheques will be distributed beginning Oct. 6. Even though it’s seen as free money for just living in the state, the amount could be seen as disappointing. It’s about half of what most Alaskans were expecting. Walker earlier this year vetoed half the money appropriated for the dividend as the state deals with a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall. Last week, Alaska state Sen. Bill Wielechowski and two former state senators sued the state, claiming Walker illegally vetoed Alaska Permanent Fund earnings required to be transferred to dividends.