BEYOND THE NUMBERS
In Case You Missed It…
This week at CBPP, we focused on the federal budget and taxes, health, housing, family income support, state budgets and taxes, and the economy.
- On the federal budget and taxes, Sharon Parrott explained why the House Appropriations subcommittee-approved fiscal 2020 funding bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education is a welcome break from years of disinvestment. Richard Kogan listed five reasons to reject any constitutional balanced budget amendment. Samantha Jacoby summarized how the Trump Administration’s proposed opportunity zone regulations favor investor flexibility over community protection.
- On health, Judith Solomon noted that the proposal from Puerto Rico’s governor to address the Commonwealth’s Medicaid funding cliff would stabilize and improve its Medicaid program. Paul N. Van de Water clarified that, despite claims by some policymakers, Medicare is not nearing “bankruptcy.”
- On housing, Will Fischer reviewed why policymakers should consider infrastructure plans to boost affordable housing for the lowest-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities. We analyzed how the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act helps meet the housing needs of people with substance use disorders.
- On family income support, Ife Floyd explained why other states should follow Massachusetts’ decision and repeal racist policies denying benefits to children born to parents enrolled in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
- On state budgets and taxes, Michael Mazerov suggested that state lawmakers should decouple their income taxes from federal opportunity zone tax breaks and noted that it is too soon for states to consider additional tax breaks for opportunity zone investments. Elizabeth McNichol urged states to invest in school buildings, with federal funding unreliable.
- On the economy, we updated our chart book on the legacy of the Great Recession.
Chart of the Week- Capital Spending for K-12 Schools Well Below 2008 Levels
A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts recently here are some of the highlights:
Family Welfare Caps Lose Favor in More States
Stateline
May 3, 2019
Should Big Tech Be Taxed for Using Our Data?
Governing
May 3, 2019
The Secret Saga of Trump’s Tax Cuts
Center for Public Integrity
April 30, 2019
Years of Low Pay Helped Spark the Teacher Strike Wave
New York Magazine
April 29, 2019
Democrats are about to go to war with Trump over aid to Puerto Rico
Vice News
April 29, 2019
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