Alaska has always been generous. In the 60's and 70's thousands of kids flew up from Washington for fish work (slime line) with some staying and marrying. This I'm guilty of.
During the pipeline days many folks booked to work building the pipeline, quit for high dollar work at Prudhoe and thousands harvested the economic blessing the Exxon Valdez provided.
My wife pointed out that Blue Cross/Blue Shield provided our 3 kids medical/dental/orthodontics so I just kept punching my time card working for the city at my starting wage of $12.41 per hour paying rents and mortgages, filling the fridge and raising a family. 
AK Opportunities knocked many times: Chukchi College night classes, scholarships to UAF earning an AA, BBA and an MBA: all for zero dollars and zero cents. AK picked up the entire tab. 
Silver is the new gold and now I'm an old Tier I pensioner.
All Alaskans had the same opportunities and we deserve everything we've earned.
We are legion and the $15 billion due us feels good.