Policy Basics Archive
Policy Basics is a series of brief background reports on issues related to budgets, taxes, and government assistance programs.
Budget — Federal
- Introduction to the Federal Budget Process
- Deficits, Debt, and Interest
- Non-Defense Discretionary Programs
- Where Do Our Federal Tax Dollars Go? |
Video (4:50)
Climate Change
- Policies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Climate-Change Legislation and Low-Income Consumers
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Podcast: Climate Change Legislation (4:51)
Food Assistance
- Policy Basics: Introduction to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Podcast (3:49)
Health
Housing
- The Housing Voucher Choice Program
- Introduction to Public Housing
- Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance
- Federal Rental Assistance
Poverty and Income
Recession and Recovery
- Intro to Unemployment Insurance: Brief | Full Report
- How Many Weeks of Unemployment Compensation Are Available?
Social Security
- Introduction to Supplemental Security Income: Brief | Full Report
- Top Ten Facts About Social Security
State Budget and Tax
- The ABCs of State Budgets | Podcast (4:13)
- Where Do Our State Tax Dollars Go?
- Property Tax Caps | Podcast (3:40)
- Tax Payer Bill of Rights (TABOR)
- State Earned Income Tax Credits
- State Supermajority Rules to Raise Revenues
Tax — Federal
- The Child Tax Credit
- The Estate Tax
- The Earned Income Tax Credit
- Where Do Our Federal Tax Dollars Go? | Video (4:50)
- Where Do Federal Tax Revenues Come From?
- Deficits, Debt, and Interest
- Tax Exemptions, Deductions, and Credits
- Marginal and Average Tax Rates
- Federal Payroll Taxes
Welfare Reform/TANF
