We should not be a welfare state, but we are.  We are because we all have been paid to live here without any personal commitments to the common good other that those of us who pay property taxes for such things a schools, solid waste programs and the like.  The vast majority of communities don't have sales tax and the state opted out of income tax.  We need to remember that the Permanent Fund was set up to be a rainy day fund, to pay for just the type of shortcomings that we face today.  We need leadership that recognizes that a combination of fixes are needed and that them must make the hard decisions to implement them.  The need to implement new revenues, use the permeant fund and cut the budget rise above anyones interest in getting votes this fall when their job is on the line before the voters.  Hiding behind the phrase "that is my permanent fund" is an act of cowardice.  it is time for us to grow up and join the adult world .