To the residents of Alaska,

The Permanent Fund Dividend Division would like to take a moment to say, “Thank You!” to Alaskans for participating in one of the most successful filing seasons to date. The prompt delivery of this year’s historic July 1 payment was only possible because of the many Alaskans who allowed us to utilize effective and efficient paperless communication methods. If you chose to file online, thank you! If you chose direct deposit, thank you! If you chose to sign your application electronically, thank you! If you allowed us to communicate with you via email, thank you! Your decisions allowed us to work more efficiently, ensuring we were able to pay the greatest number of Alaskans possible during the July payment run.

Over the past three years, Alaskans have decreased paper filings by over 48,000 applications while increasing electronic signature usage by 172,000 individuals. As a result, our paper processing workload has declined by nearly 220,000 pieces of mail. This year’s numbers are the best yet, with 605,000 Alaskans filling online and 562,000 of those individuals providing a digital signature.

Not only have you allowed us to use staff more efficiently, you’ve allowed us to shift resources into other critical areas. Be on the lookout for future improvements as we work diligently to expand the myPFD portal while continuing to broaden our paperless offerings.

Moving forward, we will continue to strive for improvements that benefit all Alaskans. But as we work to provide a quicker, easier, and more accessible application, we must carefully balance these changes with the ever-present need to ask questions that ensure the integrity of the program. We are thankful for your understanding as we make these adjustments each year.

Most importantly, thank you for the trust you’ve placed in us as we work to provide Alaskans with the best customer service, most efficient application process, and maximum number of timely payments. Without your cooperation, moments like the one we experienced together this July would not have been possible. Thank you, Alaska, for the role you played in making this year’s distribution process a resounding success.

Lucinda Mahoney is the commissioner for the Department of Revenue.

• By Lucinda Mahoney