“I don’t think any of us, individually, realized just how much money had been wasted throughout the years,” CEO of SalmonState Tim Bristol said during a press conference. “The money that is spent by AIDEA is Alaska’s money.”
Executive Director and CEO of AIDEA Alan Weitzner — who was blindsided by the release of the report — said Tuesday afternoon that contrasting AIDEA’s mission to the Permanent Fund’s is a defective comparison. He also argued the report was pointed and full of inaccuracies, saying collaboration with AIDEA would have been welcomed and more beneficial for Alaskan’s interests.
According to the economists, their studies found that AIDEA’s investments have cost Alaskans $10 billion in lost returns over the years and called for a set of third-party audits of AIDEA’s performance.