In Case You Missed It… | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

off the charts

POLICY INSIGHT
BEYOND THE NUMBERS

This week at CBPP, we focused on state budgets and taxes, family income support, Social Security, and health care.

On state budgets and taxes, Erica Williams highlighted a new website that debunks state rankings purporting to measure each state’s “business climate” and prospects for economic growth. She also explained why states should adopt or expand state earned income tax credits (EITCs), noted the ways in which state EITCs help working families and communities thrive, and detailed why state EITCs and stronger state minimum wages are the twin pillars of making work pay for families that earn low wages. Nick Albares highlighted a new study finding that better school funding leads to better long-term outcomes for low-income students. We updated our state-by-state fact sheets on cuts in higher education.
On family income support, Liz Schott urged Congress to support the President’s proposal to test new ways to help families that are on the brink of financial crisis or have already hit bottom.
On Social Security, Kathleen Romig explained what the growing longevity gap between richer and poorer Americans means for Social Security and illustrated that raising the program’s full retirement age would cut benefits for all retirees.
On health care, Judith Solomon explained why the governor of Kentucky’s plan to dismantle the state’s health insurance exchange could mean higher costs and less coverage for residents.

A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts recently. Here are some highlights:

EITC Fraud Is a Matter of Debate
Morning Consult
January 20, 2016

Applications for the State Policy Fellowship Program are open until January 25, 2016.

Don’t miss any of our posts, papers, or charts — follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.