In a downward economy, an increasing number of families rely on credit cards to cover daily living expenses. While credit may be necessary to plug short-term gaps in income, it comes at a high price through soaring fees and interest rates, damage to credit scores, and burdensome debt that may take years to repay. Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for the ‘Low-Income Families’ Category
The Costs of Charging Our Way Through an Economic Crisis
In General, Low-Income Families on January 26, 2010 at 1:55 pmRemember Free Venezualan Oil for the Bush?
In Low-Income Families, Oil and Energy on October 25, 2009 at 8:33 amBernardo Alvarez, Venezuela’s ambassador to the United States, is scheduled to travel to Alaska on Thursday and Friday on a mission to strengthen relations with the state’s indigenous tribes and promote cultural, commercial and academic links between the U.S. and Venezuela, according to the Venezuelan embassy. Alvarez plans to meet with elected officials, speak to students and faculty at the University of Alaska, and participate in some media interviews, the embassy said. He will also meet with the executive leadership of the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council and speak to a number of tribal chiefs that have benefited from a discounted heating oil program sponsored by the CITGO Corp., which Venezuela’s state oil company owns.
Alvarez has been Venezuela’s top envoy to the United States since 2003. He left the United States in September 2008 in a diplomatic dispute but returned to his post in June, the embassy said.
[Source: ADN]
New Study by ACPP: Alaskan Middle-Class in Trouble
In General, Low-Income Families on September 6, 2009 at 2:35 pmState of Working Alaska 2009, a new report by the Alaska Center for Public Policy, reports data, trends and economic performance that can be taken in consideration by policymakers to address critical issues facing Alaskan families. Some of the findings the State of Working Alaska 2009 are:
- A basic family budget includes only the amounts a family needs to spend to feed, shelter, and clothe itself, and get to work and school. It includes no savings, no restaurant meals, no funds for emergencies. In Anchorage a basic budget for a family of four is approximately $53,000. It is higher in rural areas. Read the rest of this entry »
Advancing the Middle Class
In General, Low-Income Families on July 16, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Over the last thirty years, working members of Alaska’s and the nation’s families have worked longer hours, harder, and smarter. The result has been a huge increase in productivity. According to government statistics, from 1980 to 2008, nationwide worker productivity grew by 75%. This is impressive, but American workers never saw most of it in their wallets. Inflation-adjusted average wages increased by only 23%. Workers were compensated for less than a third of their productivity gains.
110 Alaskans Lose Health Insurance Every Week
In General, Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on July 16, 2009 at 2:15 pm110 Alaskans Are Losing Their Health Coverage Every Week, as the Steady Rise of Health Care Costs Drives More and More Working Families out of the Market
These Alaskans are part of a national trend that will cost an average of 2.3 Million Americans their Health Coverage each year between 2008 and 2010.
Rising like a deadly tide, escalating health care costs will have caused 17,360 Alaskans to lose their health coverage between January 2008 and December 2010. In that same period, the number of Americans without health coverage is expected to climb by an estimated 6.9 million.
In General, Low-Income Families, Retirement Security, Tax Policy on November 21, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Joseph Stiglitz Image via Wikipedia
[This letter, signed by 387 economists, including Nobel Laureates Joseph Stiglitz, Robert Solow, and George Akerlof, urges Congress to move quickly and decisively to pass an effective new economic stimulus package.]
The Honorable Henry Reid The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Senate Majority Leader Speaker of the House
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable John Boehner
Senate Minority Leader House Minority Leader
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Sen. Reid, Sen. McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, and Rep. Boehner:
We, the undersigned economists, urge Congress to pass a new stimulus package as quickly as possible. The need to deal with financial turmoil has directed attention away from the “real” economy. But the latest data clearly show that the economy is entering a serious recession, initiated by the collapse of homebuilding and intensified by the paralysis of credit markets. Without a fast an effective response by government, the economy could continue to spiral downward, leading to a large increase in unemployment and a sharp decline in GDP. Read the rest of this entry »
Commonwealth Fund Compares Candidate Health Plans
In General, Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy, Tax Policy on October 23, 2008 at 6:12 pmThe following is the executive summary of a longer analysis of Obama’s and McCain’s health plans. The analysis was conducted by the Commonwealth Fund, a widely respected foundation that analyzes national and international health plans. The full report is available on their website.
INTRODUCTION
With the 2008 presidential election just weeks away, health care reform is at the top of the nation’s domestic policy agenda. The soaring costs of health care, along with a faltering economy and lackluster wage growth, are leaving many working families without insurance or with medical expenses that consume a large share of their incomes. A recent Commonwealth Fund study found that nearly two-thirds of working-age adults—an estimated 116 million people—either were uninsured for a time during 2007, were insured but had such high medical costs compared with their incomes that they were underinsured, reported a problem paying medical bills, or did not get needed care because of its cost. Over the past seven years, such problems have crept up the income scale among people with and without health insurance. Consequently, voters are calling for change: eight of 10 adults said in a May survey that the health care system is in need of a major overhaul or fundamental reform. Read the rest of this entry »
Economic Crisis: Where to find Information – Part II
In General, Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on October 17, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Image via Wikipedia
The Center for Economic Policy (CEPR) – The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) was established in 1999 to promote democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people’s lives. In order for citizens to effectively exercise their voices in a democracy, they should be informed about the problems and choices that they face. CEPR is committed to presenting issues in an accurate and understandable manner, so that the public is better prepared to choose among the various policy options.
Toward this end, CEPR conducts both professional research and public education. The professional research is oriented towards filling important gaps in the understanding of particular economic and social problems, or the impact of specific policies. The public education portion of CEPR’s mission is to present the findings of professional research, both by CEPR and others, in a manner that allows broad segments of the public to know exactly what is at stake in major policy debates. An informed public should be able to choose policies that lead to an improving quality of life, both for people within the United States and around the world. Read the rest of this entry »
The Economic Crisis: Where to Find Information
In General, Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on October 10, 2008 at 11:56 amBy now it is indisputable that we are headed for difficult financial times around the world for low- and medium-income families. Alaska, of course, is tied into the world economy and we will be hard hit. I would like to just reference a few resources that I think are very good on these issues, but resources which you may not be familiar with.
Nouriel Roubini’s Global EconoMonitor is an excellent source of very serious and detailed analysis of the emerging international economic crisis. a word of warning–this is not easy reading, but if you are patient your efforts will be rewarded. Note also that this is a huge site, so take some time to poke around.
Democracy Now! offers a one-hour video/audio broadcast five times per week, all of which are archived on their site for playback any time on your computer or as a podcast. This program features in-depth interviews of economists, legislators, and other experts about the economic crisis (as well as many other issues of importance). Typcially the information is offered in an easy to understand manner. Written manuscripts usually accompany each interview.
Stateside Dispatch is a twice-weekly email newsletter with a tremendous amount of information on a variety of policy issues. Recently they have had quite a few articles about the economic situation, particularly as it affects states and families. I advise signing up for the newsletter and checking out the archives. This is a very readable and comprehensive resource.
Your comments invited!
Policy Research Before the Vote: Curiously Refreshing
In Low-Income Families, Oil and Energy on July 23, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Image via WikipediaElected officials have the collective ability to ram through public policies for whatever reason they may have. Maybe it appeases a particular voting block. Maybe it will be looked upon favorably by a lobbyist and his or her deep pocket employers. Maybe the legislator has been bribed to “produce results.” Maybe it looms large in the eyes of the legislator because it is in response to a neighbor’s experience or a family members tragedy.
As voters and members of Alaskan society, however, we may have other lenses through which we view these proposals for public policy. For example, does a public policy benefit low- and medium-income families in Alaska? Does it actually address the problem effectively and efficiently that it is supposed to address? Have other policy alternatives been systematically considered and evaluated? Will this public policy have unintended consequences? Is there any research data that will help our evaluation? Read the rest of this entry »
More Poverty Nationwide and In Alaska Than Previously Thought
In Low-Income Families on July 12, 2008 at 8:27 amThe National Center for Children in Poverty is associated with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Just last month (June 2008) the Center released an important new report, Measuring Poverty in the United States. The report found that:
Across the country, families typically need an income of at least twice the official poverty level ($42,400 for a family of four) to meet basic needs. In high-cost cities such as New York, it may take an income of over three times the poverty level to make ends meet, whereas in some rural areas, the figure may be under double the poverty level
The findings are particularly important for Alaska which is a “high-cost” area to live. Read the rest of this entry »
Permanent Housing for Homeless Families: Now is the Time
In Low-Income Families on June 2, 2008 at 11:25 amDoes permanent housing for homeless families sound far fetched? It isn’t! It is just a matter of enlightened public policy. Here is action you can take in this regard. In addition, attached there is a letter sent by the Anchorage Coalition on Homelesness to Senator Don Young outlining the issues and the solutions, and a resolution by the Coalition regarding the issues:
New Research: One-Third of Alaska's Jobs are "Bad Jobs"
In Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on May 24, 2008 at 9:08 amThe Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) was established in 1999 to promote democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people’s lives. CEPR is committed to presenting issues in an accurate and understandable manner, so that the public is better prepared to choose among the various policy options. Toward this end, CEPR conducts both professional research and public education.
CEPR has an excellent website which is an invaluable resource for national and state-specific research. A recent study, Working Families and Economic Insecurity in the States: The Role of Job Quality and Work Supports, provides information on job quality and the economic security of working families in the states in the first half of the current decade. It also quantifies the important role that public work supports—benefits for workers such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and child care assistance—play in helping workers make ends meet.
This study found that in Alaska: Read the rest of this entry »
One of every 39 Alaskan Homes to be Foreclosed
In General, Low-Income Families on April 19, 2008 at 4:02 pmAccording to a recent article in the Anchorage Daily News, “While Alaskans aren’t seeing the number of failed loans as some places in the Lower 48, plenty of people in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough are feeling the pain of bad home-buying decisions. Real estate agents in the Mat-Su area last year said they started seeing a dramatic rise in the number of foreclosure sales.” In March of this year, for example, there were nearly 300 foreclosures in the Mat-Su area. A study just released by the Pew Charitable Trusts paints a somewhat more grim picture of foreclosures in Alaska: Read the rest of this entry »
Hungry Children Can't Learn
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on February 17, 2008 at 8:15 amLast week Food Bank of Alaska and the Alaska Food Coalition released a new report on school breakfast in Alaska. In conjunction with the release of the study and a request for funding for school breakfasts, the Coalition held a breakfast for legislators at the Capitol Tuesday, February 12.
The Coalition’s report says that 8,500 low-income students do not even have the opportunity to get a breakfast at school. The Legislature is being asked to put aside $1 million as an inducement for breakfast programs, which in turn would leverage federal funds.
Susannah Morgan of the Food Bank noted that the K-12 education budget is around $1 billion. “What we want to do is make sure that that money is well-spent, that those kids are actually learning what we’re putting our money into, that they are learning and getting the best education they can by being nutritionally prepared to learn,” she said.
The executive summary of the report follows: Read the rest of this entry »
Make Alaska's Minimum Wage a Living Wage
In General, Low-Income Families on February 2, 2008 at 1:30 pmIn my opinion Senator Elton is one of the more articulate proponents of sound public policy for the people of Alaska. For that reason I would like to republish a substantial selection from the February 1, 2008 issue of his newsletter, off the record.
Sometimes we mean well, but we mean well without oomph. So it is with the gap between the cost of living in Alaska and our stagnant Alaska minimum wage. SB 187 is a modest and reasonable attempt to put some horsepower into our intentions to narrow the widening gap. (Full disclosure: I’m a co-prime sponsor of this bill with Sens. Bill Wielechowski and Joe Thomas.)
SB 187 takes Alaska’s minimum wage from $7.15 an hour to $8 an hour in 2009 then adjusts the minimum wage annually for inflation in the out years. For many of us, this means nothing. But 14,000 of our Alaska neighbors will live slightly less close to the margin if we do what is right. At $7.15 an hour, a worker earns less than the federal poverty level for a family of two. Many of these very low wage folks are sole wage earners and many are parents.
Alaska Should Join Other States: Call for Moratorium on Home Foreclosures
In General, Low-Income Families on January 6, 2008 at 11:37 pmMassachusetts became the first state to impose a moratorium last year. Without action, in the next two years, as many as 100,000 homes would be subject to foreclosure in New York. Nationwide, home foreclosure filings have increased an incredible 68% over the period of just one year. The rate is predicted to increase even further this year as payments rise on roughly 1 million home loans. Movements are also underway in Michigan, Ohio and Texas to adopt foreclosure moratoriums. The State of Alaska currently has housing which is less affordable than it has been for at least 15 years. Shouldn’t we be giving serious consideration to joining the other states and calling for a moratorium on home foreclosures? An excellent article on this subject can be found on the Progressive States Network site.
ldw
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Alaska Housing Least Affordable Since 1992
In General, Low-Income Families on January 6, 2008 at 11:20 pmEach quarter the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development compiles the Alaska Affordability Index. This index assesses three economic factors in a given area: the average sales price of a home, the average income, and average interest rate, then determines the number of average wage earners required to obtain a mortgage on an average-priced house. An index of 1.0 means that income from one person is required to afford a home; a higher index means that income from more than one person is necessary.
The December 2007 issue of Alaska Economic Trends, a publication of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, details the most recent findings in the article, “Housing Affordability in Alaska.” State-wide, the average index value is 1.46, ranging from 1.23 for Anchorage area workers who buy a house in the Matanuska Susitna Borough to 2.11 for residents of the Bethel area. Anchorage has an average index value of 1.51. Read the rest of this entry »
Alaska Economy Not So Good in Recent Years
In General, Low-Income Families on December 22, 2007 at 1:39 pmIt is not light reading, but it is important and it has just been released: The 2007 Joint Economic Report of the Joint Economic Committee Congress of the United States on the 2007 Economic Report of the President Together With Minority Views. Before we launch into a summary of critical findings about Alaska, here is a bit more about the study as a whole:
The President says his policies are working to make the economy strong and that all Americans are benefiting, but the facts show an economic record that has left the vast majority of American families behind. During the last six years, the economy has performed in a lackluster fashion, without strong growth in output, investment, or employment. America’s working families have seen little or no improvement in their standard of living during this time. The recovery from the recession in 2001 has been very weak, and household income is still substantially below its pre-recession peak of the 1990s. Further, the number of households with employer-provided health insurance has declined. In short, the economic indicators that matter most to the typical family are moving in the wrong direction.
New Policy Guide: Housing and Homelessness
In General, Low-Income Families on September 1, 2007 at 10:49 amThe National Alliance to End Homelessness has published a Policy Guide to help policymakers and advocates understand federal programs and policies regarding housing and homelessness. The 63-page guide includes information about relevant federal programs and proposals, including homelessness funding, proposals to reauthorize HUD’s McKinney-Vento homeless assistance programs, and information about funding levels of mainstream housing and services programs. The guide also includes several additional features, including: Read the rest of this entry »
Empty Plates in the Great Land
In Low-Income Families on August 20, 2007 at 6:12 pmEmpty Plates in the Great Land is an important recent report authored by the Food Bank of Alaska. The Executive Summary follows. The public policy implications are self-evident.
. . .
Hunger is a serious and growing problem in Alaska. In 2005, 12.2 percent of Alaskan households were hungry or on the edge of hunger, up from 8.7 percent in 1998. More than 83,000 Alaskans turned to the emergency food providers in Food bank of Alaska’s network for assistance in 2005. That same year, federally-funded nutrition programs—including the Food Stamp Program, school meal programs, out-of-school-time programs, and commodity programs—brought millions of dollars in food assistance to Alaska. However, all of these programs are underutilized in this state. While thousands of Alaskan children, families, and elders go hungry, Alaska is leaving millions more dollars in federal nutrition resources unclaimed. Read the rest of this entry »
Your Chance to Influence Health Insurance Policy in Alaska
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on July 4, 2007 at 4:01 pmThe issue of affordable health insurance has assumed national importance. Several states are developing innovative strategies to provide health insurance to their uninsured residents. Now it’s Alaska’s turn.
The Health Planning and Systems Development Unit within the Department of Health and Social Services, through a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, is holding a series of regional forums, one in each of Alaska’s economic regions, to discuss and share information on access to health insurance for the uninsured in our state. The Departments of Labor and Commerce, Community & Economic Development are also participating in the forums. The forums are part of an ongoing effort that includes surveys, focus groups, interviews with key individuals and organizations, and other forums on the challenges of providing affordable health insurance for all Alaskans. Forums are scheduled for the following locations, dates and times: Read the rest of this entry »
Innovative State Policies: How Would They Fare in Alaska?
In General, Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy, Tax Policy on June 5, 2007 at 6:04 pmYes, it is an odd name–The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy–but the organization features some very innovative ideas. DMI describes itself in this way:
The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to challenging the tired orthodoxies of both the right and the left. The goal: progressive public policy for social and economic fairness.
Currently, DMI is focusing on several innovative state programs that could provide very interesting models for Alaska. Read the rest of this entry »
New Study: Children Without Health Insurance in Alaska
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on May 20, 2007 at 4:06 pmHighlights of the new study by FamiliesUSA on Alaskan children without health insurance…
Reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is likely to be the most important health care issue addressed on Capitol Hill this year. The highly successful program, which started in 1997, provides health coverage to millions of low-income children with family incomes that are too high to qualify for Medicaid but not high enough to purchase other forms of health insurance. The program’s original 10-year authorization period expires on September 30, 2007. Congress must therefore pass reauthorizing legislation within the next several months. Read the rest of this entry »
How Are Alaska's Children Doing?
In General, Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on April 10, 2007 at 9:54 pmUAA’s Institute for Social and Economic Research often produces good research upon which public policy decisions can be intelligently discussed and formulated. Perhaps my favorite which is routinely produced is the Kids Count Alaska Data Book. Despite the title, it is not just reams of statistical data. There actually is some discussion of policy, and this year several real stories about Alaskan kids. Take a look. You will not be disappointed. . . Read the rest of this entry »
AARP Wages Campaign in Alaska to Help Lower Medicare Drug Prices
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on April 3, 2007 at 2:56 pmWith the aid of 89,000 members, AARP is calling on U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Ted Stevens to stand with the overwhelming majority of Alaskans and vote to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices. Murkowski and Stevens are two of the few remaining Senators yet to publicly state their position on this important issue, and their votes are critical to the bill’s success. On Wednesday, April 4, AARP members throughout Alaska and across the country will be calling Senators and urging them to support legislation that could help lower Medicare drug prices for Alaska’s Medicare beneficiaries. Read the rest of this entry »
Report Shows Alaska Leaves More Than $30 Million in Federal Food Assistance Unclaimed
In General, Low-Income Families on February 22, 2007 at 12:49 pmOn February 12, as part of the Alaska Food Coalition annual member meeting in Juneau, Food Bank of Alaska released a new report, “Empty Plates in the Greatland: Alaska Leaves Millions in Federal Food Assistance Unclaimed.â€
At a time when Alaska’s rates of hunger and food insecurity are rising, only 59 percent of Alaskans who are eligible for the Food Stamp Program are participating. As a result, Alaska leaves approximately $29 million in food stamp benefits unclaimed each year—money that could be helping Alaskans feed their families and providing revenue to Alaska’s grocery stores. Participation in the program is lowest in Alaska’s largest cities, Anchorage and Fairbanks. Most people who are eligible for food stamps but not participating are not aware of their eligibility.
Minimum Wage FAQ (3 of 3)
In Low-Income Families on February 22, 2007 at 12:03 pmHow will people be helped if the minimum wage in Alaska was raised?
- “In Alaska, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $931 . In order to afford this level of rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn $3,103 monthly or $37,235 annually. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $17.90â€(Alaska Out of Reach Report)
- “In Alaska, a minimum wage worker earns an Read the rest of this entry »
Minimum Wage FAQ (2 of 3)
In Low-Income Families on February 22, 2007 at 11:43 amWhat is inflation?
- Inflation is the rising costs of products that serve to devalue the buying power of money. What this does over time is to cause minimum wages to actually be worth less, even though the amount stays the same. So this means that every year the nations poorest are getting even poorer when the wages are not inflation proofed.
What does inflation proofing mean?
- Inflation proofing means that the minimum wage amount is periodically adjusted with the rise of inflation to keep the buying power at the same level. So for example if the minimum wage was at $6 and Read the rest of this entry »
Minimum Wage FAQ (1 of 3)
In Low-Income Families on February 22, 2007 at 11:36 amWhy is minimum wage important?
- This is an issue that has a large impact on many people in America. Minimum wage is important because it specifies the absolute lowest wage that someone can be paid.
- “Everyone should have the opportunity to earn a decent wage […] This is equally as true for a middle-class youth working to raise money for college as it is for a single mother supporting a family. The minimum wage is not just about helping the impoverished. It is about fairness, the value of work, and the opportunities that work providesâ€(Chapman).
Who does minimum wage changes affect?
- The people that a change in minimum wage would affect the most are those that are closest to the poverty line. An increase of a dollar an hour could have a very large impact in a poverty stricken household. Read the rest of this entry »
Raising the Minimum Wage in Alaska: Bad for Business?
In Low-Income Families on February 12, 2007 at 5:23 pmHB 56 has the rather innocuous title, “An Act relating to minimum wages; and providing for an effective date.” However, according to the sponsors, the bill holds great promise for low income working Alaskans. Here, in the sponsors’ own words, they describe the circumstances and the promise:
Alaska’s minimum wage has not been increased since 2002, when it rose to $7.15/hr. Since that time, fuel and other living costs have increased significantly, and other states have increased their minimum wages above Alaska’s. California is slated to increase ITS minimum wage to $8/hr next year. Likewise, Congress is debating a federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr. Alaska’s higher living costs justify a minimum wage increase. On an annual basis, the current minimum wage pays a full time employee $14,000/year. That is an inadequate wage for a full-time worker. People who work for a living should be able to afford basic housing, food and clothing, and provide for their families. Read the rest of this entry »
Coalition on Human Needs Policy Priorities
In General, Low-Income Families, Tax Policy on January 1, 2007 at 9:28 pmThe Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) is an important and influential national alliance of more than 100 organizations working together to promote public policies that address the needs of low-income people and other vulnerable populations. Members of the Coalition include civil rights, religious, labor and professional organizations and those concerned with the well being of children, women, the elderly, immigrants and people with disabilities.
The mission of the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) is to build a national community that embraces the American values of opportunity and compassion, with particular attention paid to the needs of the most deeply poor. Consequently, in light of both its mission and its national stature and influence, it is an important event when CHN releases a major public policy statement.
On December 14, 2006, the Coalition Board of Directors adopted public policy priorities for the Coalition. Read the rest of this entry »
Center for Policy Alternatives
In General, Low-Income Families, Oil and Energy, Public Health Policy, Retirement Security, Tax Policy on December 21, 2006 at 11:28 amThe Center for Policy Alternatives accurately describes itself as:
…the nation’s only nonpartisan nonprofit organization working to strengthen the capacity of state legislators to lead and achieve progressive change.
The CPA website has a number of extremely useful elements on it. For example, the State Action Blog contains a running commentary about recent progressive legislation enacted at the state level throughout the nation. Read the rest of this entry »
The Bush Tax Cuts: Are Alaskans Better Off?
In Low-Income Families, Tax Policy on October 29, 2006 at 5:10 amOur colleagues at Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ) have recently issued another of their Alaska-specific analyses of the consequences of this administration’s tax cuts on Alaskan families…
Over the past six years, President George W. Bush and his allies in Congress have enacted multiple rounds of major tax cuts, including special tax breaks for capital gains and dividends, reductions in personal income tax rates, estate tax cuts and an array of corporate tax loopholes. This issue brief summarizes the effects of the Bush tax cuts on Alaskans at different income levels.
There are two key findings: First of all, the tax breaks enacted since 2001 are heavily skewed towards the very wealthiest few. Second, because the tax cuts are being paid for with borrowed money, the cost of paying the added national debt more than wipes out any benefits from the tax cuts for 99 percent of Alaskans. Only the best-off one percent of Alaskans are net winners. Read the rest of this entry »
Public Forum on Health and Social Services Policy and Issues in Anchorage
In Low-Income Families on October 12, 2006 at 1:16 pm
Tony Knowles, Sarah Palin, Andrew Halcro and their running mates have been invited by the Anchorage Alliance for Health and Social Services to participate in a public forum on Monday evening, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the gymnasium of The Arc of Anchorage. The purpose of the forum is to give the candidates an opportunity to state their views regarding the issues facing individuals who receive services from the various Anchorage providers of health and social services. Each candidate will be given an opportunity to state their views and then will be asked to respond to questions posed by the Alliance. There will be an opportunity to meet with and talk to the candidates following the forum. Read the rest of this entry »
Current State Child Care Assistance Policies: Gaps and Challenges
In General, Low-Income Families on October 9, 2006 at 9:58 amThe National Women’s Law Center is an extraordinary resource:
Since 1972, the Center has expanded the possibilities for women and girls in this country. The Center uses the law in all its forms: getting new laws on the books and enforced; litigating ground-breaking cases in state and federal courts all the way to the Supreme Court; and educating the public about ways to make the law and public policies work for women and their families. An experienced staff of nearly 50 takes on the issues that cut to the core of women’s and girls’ lives in education, employment, family economic security, and health — with special attention given to the needs of low-income women and their families.
Recently the Center released a public policy document entitled State Child Care Assistance Policies 2006: Gaps Remain, with New Challenges Ahead. Here is a very brief summary of the highlights of the findings. Note that the data is broken out state by state after the discussion of national findings, so there is Alaska-specific data in the tables that follow the narrative. Read the rest of this entry »
Bad for Alaska: White House Pushes to Cut Medicaid, Despite Lack of Support
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on August 19, 2006 at 3:58 pmAccording to Alaska’s Medicaid website, “Medicaid is an ‘entitlement program’ created by the federal government, but administered by the state, to provide payment for medical services for low-income citizens. People qualify for Medicaid by meeting federal income and asset standards…” True, but this is kind of a dry and lifeless statement. It does not convey the enormity of Medicaid in Alaska. In fact, Medicaid is the largest public or private health insurer in the State of Alaska. Nearly one of every four Alaskans is insured by Medicaid. One of every two babies born in Alaska is born with the assistance of Medicaid. So, it is with great alarm that we read the following… Read the rest of this entry »
A Clouded Issue
In Low-Income Families, Tax Policy on April 2, 2006 at 10:39 pmOnce up a time, there was a great bill. A bill that would help prevent homelessness due to bankruptcies and foreclosures. A bill that allowed low-income individuals and families to defer their property tax payments when they were unable to pay them. It was called Senate Bill 193.
“Hey wait…I thought Senate Bill 193 gave property tax breaks to church ministers.†Read the rest of this entry »
Even Less Housing Security
In General, Low-Income Families on March 25, 2006 at 9:01 amSenate Bill 307 was introduced as a quick and painless bill, designed to simplify the process for landlords to collect late fees from tenants. But the effects of this bill will not be as quick and painless for low and moderate income renters.
For low and moderate income renters, SB 307 could mean the difference between housing and homelessness. As noted before in this blog , and demonstrated by an article in the Anchorage Daily News, housing costs are rising, and our ability to keep up is slipping away. SB 307 pulls housing security a little bit further out of reach. Read the rest of this entry »
Give me your tired, your poor…
In Low-Income Families on March 9, 2006 at 8:01 amThe president’s FY 2007 budget leaves a little to be desired. Namely: housing for seniors and individuals with disabilities, and weatherization and heating assistance for low income families. Actually, I suppose that is quite a lot left to be desired.
The Out of Reach, 2005 report (published by the National Low Income Housing Coalition , reported that the housing wage in America ($15.78) is now more than three times minimum wage ($5.15). The housing wage is the amount that an individual would need to be earning to afford a modest 2 BR apartment at Fair Market Rent. Even in Alaska, where the minimum wage is $7.15, the housing wage is nearly 2.5 times that amount, or $17.40 per hour. A housing crisis indeed. So why would the president’s proposed budget cut assistance to housing programs for the elderly and those with disabilities? Read the rest of this entry »
122,000 Alaskans Affected
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on January 10, 2006 at 9:02 amA recent budget conference agreement passed in both the House and Senate could result in a serious barrier to health care coverage to thousands of Alaskans who currently qualify for Medicaid, the largest single provider of health insurance in the State: Read the rest of this entry »
Housing Troubles in Alaska
In General, Low-Income Families on January 5, 2006 at 10:26 amA lot of Alaskan families simply cannot afford adequate housing. The following summary comes from the Out of Reach 2005 report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition: Read the rest of this entry »
Congress Drops Low-Income Energy Assistance
In Low-Income Families, Oil and Energy, Public Health Policy on December 24, 2005 at 4:30 pmIn a move certain to have a disastrous effect on many Alaskan families, Senate leaders deleted from the bill a provision adding $2 billion in badly needed energy assistance funding this winter for low-income households. The full text of a December 22 press release from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities follows…
Move Is Unnecessary and Means Poor Will Receive No Extra Help Against High Home Heating Costs This Winter
PDF of press releaseForced to drop a controversial provision authorizing oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) from the defense appropriations bill, Senate leaders also stripped from the bill a provision adding $2 billion in badly needed energy assistance funding this winter for low-income households. This development, which early media accounts have misreported, was not necessitated by the removal of the ANWR provision and will result in greater hardship for large numbers of low-income Americans this winter, a new Center analysis explains. Read the rest of this entry »
Medicaid Dental Coverage for Adults
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on December 7, 2005 at 8:13 amLow income adults in Alaska need access to preventative dental care. Currently, Medicaid in Alaska covers only services which relieve pain and acute infection. No cleanings, no braces, no root canals, no dentures.
According to the Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health (Executive Summary), poor oral health has been linked to several other health problems, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, employability is decreased when individuals have visibly decayed or missing teeth. Read the rest of this entry »
Medicaid Funding: Robin Hood in Reverse
In Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on November 20, 2005 at 5:13 amI like the Coalition on Human Needs. “The Coalition on Human Needs is an alliance of national organizations working together to promote public policies that address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable people.” The Coalition represents passionate, staunch defenders of good public policy. CHN provides a wealth of important public policy commentary and information in a timely manner, and the organization typically combines the call to action with the facts, news, or analysis. Here is part of an important, recent Email Alert released by CHN: Read the rest of this entry »
Medicaid in Alaska: The Basics
In Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on November 19, 2005 at 8:28 amOne of every two children born in Alaska is born with the assistance of Medicaid. Nearly one of every four Alaskans is served by Medicaid. Medicaid is the largest health insurance program in Alaska–it is far bigger than Blue Cross/Blue Shield or any other health insurance program in the State, yet the importance and magnitude of Medicaid in Alaska goes largely unrecognized. Moreover, Medicaid represents a major expenditure in state and federal budgets in Alaska and throughout the United States. It is currently under attack by budget cutters who have no qualms slashing Medicaid and at the same time vastly increasing tax cuts to the wealthy–but more on this later. Read the rest of this entry »
Letter From AARP to Don Young
In Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on November 7, 2005 at 9:48 amThis letter addresses an important public policy issue that affects Alaskans. The letter was written by Pat Luby, Advocacy Director for AARP Alaska. It is a good letter, and is an important read if you have not seen it before. Pat has the highly valued ability of making difficult public policy issues easy to understand in a pleasantly conversational way… Read the rest of this entry »
Important Letter About Critical Issue
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on September 21, 2005 at 10:32 pmHere is an important letter about a critical issue from the Executive Director of Juneau Youth Services…
August 30, 2005
The Honorable Lisa Murkowski
709 Hart Building
Washington, DC 20510-0201Re: Proposed changes to Medicaid rehabilitation and targeted case management.
Dear Senator Murkowski:
I am writing to strongly urge you to reject changes that are being proposed by the Administration to Medicaid rehabilitation and case management services. These proposed changes, if adopted, would make it impossible for states and local communities to provide intensive community-based services for children with serious emotional disorders and adults with serious mental illnesses under the Medicaid program. Read the rest of this entry »
Gambling: Not A Panacea
In Low-Income Families, Tax Policy on September 6, 2005 at 2:59 pmI have written before, in this blog, about some of the negative social consequences of legalized gambling. I am thinking about it again for two reasons: 1) a recent headline (8.30.05) in the Money section of the Anchorage Daily News, “Green: Legal gambling in the cards,” and 2) a most interesting but all too short fact sheet I stumbled upon from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). But first, a few words about ITEP: Read the rest of this entry »
Are Sales Taxes Good Public Policy?
In Low-Income Families, Tax Policy on August 28, 2005 at 1:33 pmThe August 20, 2005, copy of the Anchorage Daily News featured this somewhat unsettling headline: “It’s sales tax vs. bigger sales tax.” The story began with…
Assemblyman Dan Coffey is proposing a 3 percent sales tax that would shave most people’s property tax bills by 25 percent. Assemblyman Dan Sullivan wants to examine whether a higher sales tax could replace property taxes altogether.
Let me take a philosophical diversion for a moment. I have a friend who buys and sells real estate in Florida. He is politically very conservative. In order to maintain the friendship, we generally try to stay away from political discussions. We tend to be passionate about our respective political beliefs, and butt heads when such subjects bubble to the surface of our otherwise friendly repartee.
One day we were discussing his business, and I was quite speechless when I heard him say Read the rest of this entry »
Big Pharma Threatens Medicaid
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on July 21, 2005 at 7:34 pmMedicaid is Alaska’ largest health insurer, so anything that affects Medicaid is going to to affect tens of thousands of Alaskans. According to FamiliesUSA (“The Voice for Health Care Consumers”),
The 2006 federal budget includes $10 billion in spending reductions in Medicaid. Finding reductions of that level—and not cutting critical services for the millions of Americans who rely on the program—will be challenging. There is, however, one area where most agree some savings can be found without reducing services essential to those with Medicaid. That is the area of prescription drug spending. There is widespread agreement that Medicaid pays too much for prescriptions drugs.
See a copy of Medicaid Savings Ideas: Prescription Drugs, for clear, practical, and effective ways to save a lot of money in Medicaid without hurting those who rely on it.
The Coalition on Human Needs
In Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on April 21, 2005 at 10:35 amThe Coalition on Human Needs is an extraordinary alliance of national organizations working together to promote public policies that address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable people. CHN also often provides specific information about the impact of proposed national legislation or budget cuts on specific states. A recent CHN analysis notes that “More than one-quarter of all working families in America are low-income (in 2002, less than twice the poverty line, or $36,784 for a family of four). Nearly 39 million people live in working families with this little income, 20 million of them children.” CHN analysts point out that, if Congress gets its way, the plight of these children in the Nation, and in Alaska, will become considerably worse. Here is what they have to say: Read the rest of this entry »
The Big Issues
In Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on March 27, 2005 at 10:50 amRobert Greenstein, Executive Director, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, has a way with words–especially when they relate to the critical issues of our time. Here is what he has to say regarding the report issued March 23 by the Social Security and Medicare Board of Trustees:
The new trustees’ report provides further evidence that Social Security more closely resembles a house with a leaking roof in need of repair than a house that is built on quicksand. Social Security will be able to pay 100 percent of promised benefits until 2041 (the year in which the trustees predict the trust fund will be exhausted) and 74 percent of promised benefits thereafter. Read the rest of this entry »
Social Security in Alaska: Not Just for Geezers
In Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on March 21, 2005 at 4:51 pmCurrently over 60,000 people in Alaska receive Social Security. That comes to about $500 million dollars a year. That’s a lot of money that goes to help fuel the Alaskan economy. Over 9,800 surviving Alaskan widows and their children are supported by Social Security, and altogether, 7,500 children in Alaska are supported by Social Security. Finally, Social Security keeps 11,000 over-65 retirees above the poverty level. So, no matter how you look at it, Social Security is critical for Alaskans of all ages.
Take a look at an excellent, two page brochure entitled “Social Security Essentials: Alaska.” I pulled all the statistics in the first paragraph above, from that document, which is authored by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). EPI has an excellent “Special Issues” section devoted entirely to Social Security (home page, left column). I urge you to look at it to help understand this critical issue. EPI cuts through the hype and deliberate obfuscation that seems to characterize this debate. Moreover, all EPI documents and arguments are well documented so you know what you are getting, and where it comes from.
And since we are talking about Social Security, my all time favorite source of accurate news and documented analysis about Social Security (and many other issues) is the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. See, in particular, their “In Depth Analysis” section on Social Security. Why EPI and CBPP regarding the Social Security debate? Because facts matter—especially when there is so much at stake for our generation and those to come.
Lawrence D. Weiss Ph.D., M.S.
President of the Board
Alaska Center for Public Policy
National Policy With Alaskan Consequences
In Low-Income Families on March 18, 2005 at 11:23 amThe Children’s Defense Fund is an extraordinary organization focused on research, facts, advocacy, and policy relating to children’s issues. They often clearly and concretely link national policy choices, to consequences at the state level. The information about Alaskan children that follows, for example, was recently released by the CDF. Read the rest of this entry »
Big Cuts Looming For Low-Income Alaskan Families
In Low-Income Families on March 15, 2005 at 9:16 amFacts matter at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. CBPP is an extraordinary resource for critical information regarding the relationship between national budget and fiscal policies on the one hand, and national and local socioeconomic consequences on the other. All their analyses are extremely well documented, and available at no charge on their website. In a recent analysis, House Budget Resolution Cuts Key Low-Income Programs, Yet Budget Finds Room for Further Tax Cuts for the Wealthy, CBPP analysts make the following case: Read the rest of this entry »
