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From child protection to school finance, CPPP policy staff know the issues affecting low- and moderate-income Texans.
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Press Releases, Statements, & Op-Eds: 2008
Don't be an April Fool Taken in by a Make-Believe Day (Press Release)
Release Date: 04/10/2008
Every April, the Tax Foundation releases a report celebrating “Tax Freedom Day.” The Tax Foundation was founded in 1937 by the top leadership of General Motors, Standard Oil, and Johns-Manville Corporation. Its focus is to keep taxes low irrespective of the need for taxes in maintaining public infrastructure to support our economy and quality of life. "Tax Freedom Day" is a make-believe day based on disingenuous reasoning that has serious methodological flaws.
Income Inequality on the Rise in Texas (Press Release)
Release Date: 04/9/2008
The gap between the richest and poorest families, and between the richest and middle-income families grew substantially in Texas over the past two decades, according to a new study by the national Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute. Growing income inequality tears at the fabric of our economy, and shows our public policies are failing to promote shared prosperity. In fact, inequality has accelerated since the late 1990s as incomes have fallen for poor families and virtually stagnated for middle-income families in Texas. (The full report can be found at http://www.cbpp.org/4-9-08sfp.htm.)
New Report: Lack of Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Costs the U.S. Over $100 Billion a Year (Press Release)
Release Date: 01/29/2008
According to a new economic impact analysis by Prevent Child Abuse America, child abuse and neglect cost the United States nearly $104 billion a year. Child abuse and neglect are preventable, yet in 2006, nearly 68,000 Texas children—one million kids nationwide--were confirmed victims of child maltreatment. A just-released study by Kids Are Waiting, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts, finds that the unavailability of federal child welfare funding for prevention programs and services is in part to blame. On average, only 10 percent of federal money dedicated for child welfare can currently be used to prevent child abuse and neglect. According to the report, 8% of federal dollars allocated to Texas for child welfare were used for prevention in 2006. Both reports are available at http://www.kidsarewaiting.org.
Effective Economic Stimulus Package Must be Timely, Targeted, and Temporary (Statement)
Release Date: 01/23/2008
The current weakness in the U.S. economy requires a rapid response that targets aid to those who will be hardest hit by a recession. Assistance should reach all working households because they are most likely to immediately put any assistance back into the economy by spending to support their families. This can be accomplished by rebate checks, increased Food Stamp aid, or extension of unemployment insurance, as well as fiscal relief for state governments. Well-designed one-time measures would raise current deficits, but not affect the long-term federal budget outlook. President Bush and congressional leaders are considering various strategies for combatting the growing weakness in the U.S. economy. At the top of their list are rebates for workers, expansion of safety net programs, and tax incentives for businesses. An effective fiscal stimulus is one that is timely, targeted, and temporary.
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