Alaskans got their annual glance at the personal finances of the state’s Congressional delegation on Wednesday. And they found Senator Murkowski and Congressman Young earning extra money from a range of investments that included stocks and real estate. Senator Mark Begich requested an extension to file his disclosure report later this summer. One-fifth of the entire Senate asked for similar extensions.
Senator Murkowski reports that she, her husband and their two kids have investments worth between $300,000 and $1.25 million. She also has — through First Bank — an IRA, a CD and stock shares.
The couple made more than a quarter-million dollars from their share of the sale of an Anchorage building on E Street. And the Senator’s husband Verne Martell made $10,000 from the sale of his former business — the Alaska Pasta Company.
It’s hard to say exactly how much any members of Congress are worth — because the federal reports only require disclosures within a broad range of dollar amounts. Additionally, members do not have to reveal the value of their primary homes or how much they owe on them.
Congressman Don Young has between $115,000 and $300,000 in investments and holds $165,000 to $400,000 at the Congressional credit union. He also has life insurance policies in the neighborhood of $200,000 to $500,000. The Congressman earned a small income from his Alaska teaching and legislative pension.
Young did report income for his legal expense fund, which he disclosed in the “gifts” section of the financial form. That totaled $25,000. Both Congressman Young and Murkowski and her family continued to collect the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Checks.
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