For decades, Alaska residents have shared in the state's oil wealth. : FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2011 file photo, then Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell holds up a sign with the amount of the year's Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend checks during a news conference in Anchorage, Alaska. For decades, Alaska residents have shared in the state’s oil wealth and eagerly anticipated the reveal of the annual check’s amount and dreamed about how they’d use their portion. More recently, the excitement has been muted as Gov.