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Showing posts with label justice and public policy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label justice and public policy. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 07, 2015
Payday loan oppression
Sunday, August 30, 2015
James H. Cone, a voice for today
About 40 years ago, I sat in a classroom at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, a student of Dr. James H. Cone, the father of Black Liberation Theology.
It was an amazing experience to say the least.
Dr. Cone continues his journey with great strength.
The speech delivered here is worth hearing.
Cone speaks out of the unique, undeniable experience of Black Americans. Never before has his message been more important to be heard and considered.
Move past the introductory matters if you must. But don't miss Cone's reflection.
It was an amazing experience to say the least.
Dr. Cone continues his journey with great strength.
The speech delivered here is worth hearing.
Cone speaks out of the unique, undeniable experience of Black Americans. Never before has his message been more important to be heard and considered.
Move past the introductory matters if you must. But don't miss Cone's reflection.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
ROI: Be Careful What You Cut!
When it comes to fixing the deficit, be careful what you cut.
Eliminating the Earned Income Tax Credit now would increase child poverty by 23 percent in the future.
And since poor children are more likely to drop out of high school, they are less likely to find steady work as adults.
Not to mention that paying for each year of high school dropouts costs us more than $125 billion over the course of their lifetimes.
.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Payday Lenders Move Loans to Avoid Law
As I've noted on this page in the past, Rev. Gerald Britt leads the way in the public policy work orchestrated by CitySquare. Among the issues we've tackled is the impact of payday lenders on low-income persons and households.
Earlier this year the Dallas City Council, led by Council Member Jerry Allen, passed two of the most restrictive payday lending ordinances in the nation. We are most grateful for Mr. Allen's leadership on this crucial issue.
Now, to avoid compliance with the new laws, payday lending companies are moving their loans into suburban offices where the limits on operations are not yet in place.
You will be able to view a report by WFAA Channel 8 on the issue and recent developments here or in the frame below.
The fight continues!
Earlier this year the Dallas City Council, led by Council Member Jerry Allen, passed two of the most restrictive payday lending ordinances in the nation. We are most grateful for Mr. Allen's leadership on this crucial issue.
Now, to avoid compliance with the new laws, payday lending companies are moving their loans into suburban offices where the limits on operations are not yet in place.
You will be able to view a report by WFAA Channel 8 on the issue and recent developments here or in the frame below.
The fight continues!
Sunday, July 01, 2012
God believes in entitlements and rights. . .
"Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."
- Proverbs 31:8-9
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Friday, February 03, 2012
Thank you, Gov. Romney!
I'm grateful to Mr. Romney for being so clear. But even more, I'm so thankful that at last someone brought the issue of poverty and extreme poverty into the national conversation. No one else has been talking about the poor much at all. Over the last two days that has changed. Thank goodness!
Romney said that the focus of his campaign was not the extremely poor or the extremely rich, but the 95% of Americans who are middle class.
Now there are a few glaring problems with his analysis.
First, he explained that the extremely poor had a "safety net" to provide for them. He even went so far as to promise that if he found the safety net in need of repair, he would fix it. I immediately wanted to call him up and invite him down to Texas because our "safety net" is in a world of hurt these days! Name the issue or need and Texas under performs terribly.
Food security and hunger.
Uninsured citizens.
Childhood poverty.
Decent and affordable housing for our workforce and the homeless.
Public education.
Loans/grants for higher education.
Public health.
Workforce training.
Living wages.
Mental health funding.
Dental services for the poor.
Child care and early childhood development.
Public transportation.
The list could go on and on.
The wealth gap grows in our state and in our urban centers, but the net doesn't hold. Besides, we need a platform for folks to stand on and find traction and stability, not a net into which to fall helplessly.
So, come on out to Texas, Governor!
Second, there's the problem of the Governor's math: the 95% in the middle. With 1 in 5 Americans, 1 in 4 children, conservatively estimated, to be living in poverty, there is no 95% to be concerned about! The bottom 30-plus % of our fellow citizens live impoverished lives and things are not improving for them as their numbers swell. But, the Governor says he's not concerned about the poor. I guess not, he doesn't even know how many poor folks there are in the U. S. today. Not good for a President, I'd say.
Still, he brought the subject to the top of our minds. For that I remain grateful.
[Editorial note: This morning reports have the Governor saying that he "misspoke" when he said he "didn't care about the extremely poor." Wonder how that could ever happen?]
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Human Rights and SMU
The Embrey Family Foundation has been one of most committed partners in the work we do in inner city East and South Dallas. Their program related investment of $1,000,000 got our campaign to develop the new Opportunity Center at Malcolm X and I-30. But the foundation, led by Lauren Embrey has tackled so many cutting edge efforts it's hard to describe the impact of their work.
One of the most unique among their many efforts has been the founding of the Chair of Human Rights at Southern Methodist University. Now the work of that original investment has resulted in SMU offering a major in Human Rights, placing the university in a very distinguished club of universities offering the degree.
Here's what Mark Norris of The Dallas Morning News reported earlier this week about the amazing developments on the SMU hilltop:
SMU to offer major in human rights
Adriana Martinez knew SMU was the place for her when she heard about its growing human rights program.
By her junior year, the native of Mexico was on the ground in Tucson, Ariz., talking to law enforcement and community members about immigration.
"It was a life-changing experience,” said Martinez, who is now a senior human rights minor. “It gave us an opportunity to hear from people who are rarely heard from.”
Getting out of the classroom and into the world is just one of the reasons human rights has become SMU’s fastest-growing program since it became a minor in 2007.
After receiving strong support from deans and faculty members at the university, the program was approved by the SMU Board of Trustees as the university’s newest major earlier this month.
SMU is only the fifth university in the U.S. to offer human rights as a major and the first west of the Mississippi River.
“It’s something I’d waited for, dreamed of,” said Rick Halperin, an SMU professor since 1985 who helped start the human rights program and is its director.
Halperin said he believes the new major appeals to the “idealism of youth” and young people’s desire to make the world a better place. More than 200 students are working toward the minor.
“I’ve always believed …young people who have a fervor and passion to make the world better would be attracted to it in large numbers,” Halperin said.
Students can begin taking classes toward a major in human rights this spring. Past classes count toward the major.
The major has two tracks: gender and human rights and public policy and human rights. Students must take 12 hours in a foreign language.
The human rights program was created in spring 2006 with a $1 million donation from the Embrey Family Foundation after Lauren Embrey and her two sons went on a 10-day school-sponsored trip with Halperin to Holocaust sites in Poland.
Every student majoring in human rights will participate in SMU’s annual civil rights pilgrimage through the southern United States, where students visit historic sites.
Multiple trips will be available for students to take each school year. Trips to Brazil, Poland, Rwanda/Uganda and Ukraine/Croatia are scheduled for 2012-13.
“Even as an undergrad, you can conduct your own research in ways you can’t at other universities at an undergrad,” said sophomore Michael Dearman, an English, philosophy and political science major who took part in an independent study class in which he looked into human rights abuses.
The human rights program is housed in Dedman College, home to SMU’s liberal arts majors. The bulk of human rights classes are history, political science, philosophy and anthropology.
But some courses are cross-disciplinary, such as an art history class about the Holocaust, a human rights and journalism course and a corporate ethics and social responsibility class in the business school.
Elazar Barkan, director of the Human Rights Concentration at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, said graduates there often find work with nongovernmental organizations and humanitarian groups.
But he said that more traditional companies are thinking about human rights issues as well.
That’s something Dearman is counting on.
“From public pressure or they’ve become ethically minded, companies are engaged in more humanitarian projects,” Dearman said. “I think human rights has practical applications.”
Martinez wants to work in a public sector job in Mexico after working in the U.S. Embassy there last summer. In addition to her human rights minor, she is majoring in French, history, political science and public policy.
Halperin says it’s the hard work of his students that motivates him to keep developing the human rights program.
“I know the average student does care about these issues and wants to do something,” he said.
One of the most unique among their many efforts has been the founding of the Chair of Human Rights at Southern Methodist University. Now the work of that original investment has resulted in SMU offering a major in Human Rights, placing the university in a very distinguished club of universities offering the degree.
Here's what Mark Norris of The Dallas Morning News reported earlier this week about the amazing developments on the SMU hilltop:
Adriana Martinez knew SMU was the place for her when she heard about its growing human rights program.
By her junior year, the native of Mexico was on the ground in Tucson, Ariz., talking to law enforcement and community members about immigration.
"It was a life-changing experience,” said Martinez, who is now a senior human rights minor. “It gave us an opportunity to hear from people who are rarely heard from.”
Getting out of the classroom and into the world is just one of the reasons human rights has become SMU’s fastest-growing program since it became a minor in 2007.
After receiving strong support from deans and faculty members at the university, the program was approved by the SMU Board of Trustees as the university’s newest major earlier this month.
SMU is only the fifth university in the U.S. to offer human rights as a major and the first west of the Mississippi River.
“It’s something I’d waited for, dreamed of,” said Rick Halperin, an SMU professor since 1985 who helped start the human rights program and is its director.
Halperin said he believes the new major appeals to the “idealism of youth” and young people’s desire to make the world a better place. More than 200 students are working toward the minor.
“I’ve always believed …young people who have a fervor and passion to make the world better would be attracted to it in large numbers,” Halperin said.
Students can begin taking classes toward a major in human rights this spring. Past classes count toward the major.
The major has two tracks: gender and human rights and public policy and human rights. Students must take 12 hours in a foreign language.
The human rights program was created in spring 2006 with a $1 million donation from the Embrey Family Foundation after Lauren Embrey and her two sons went on a 10-day school-sponsored trip with Halperin to Holocaust sites in Poland.
Every student majoring in human rights will participate in SMU’s annual civil rights pilgrimage through the southern United States, where students visit historic sites.
Multiple trips will be available for students to take each school year. Trips to Brazil, Poland, Rwanda/Uganda and Ukraine/Croatia are scheduled for 2012-13.
“Even as an undergrad, you can conduct your own research in ways you can’t at other universities at an undergrad,” said sophomore Michael Dearman, an English, philosophy and political science major who took part in an independent study class in which he looked into human rights abuses.
The human rights program is housed in Dedman College, home to SMU’s liberal arts majors. The bulk of human rights classes are history, political science, philosophy and anthropology.
But some courses are cross-disciplinary, such as an art history class about the Holocaust, a human rights and journalism course and a corporate ethics and social responsibility class in the business school.
Elazar Barkan, director of the Human Rights Concentration at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, said graduates there often find work with nongovernmental organizations and humanitarian groups.
But he said that more traditional companies are thinking about human rights issues as well.
That’s something Dearman is counting on.
“From public pressure or they’ve become ethically minded, companies are engaged in more humanitarian projects,” Dearman said. “I think human rights has practical applications.”
Martinez wants to work in a public sector job in Mexico after working in the U.S. Embassy there last summer. In addition to her human rights minor, she is majoring in French, history, political science and public policy.
Halperin says it’s the hard work of his students that motivates him to keep developing the human rights program.
“I know the average student does care about these issues and wants to do something,” he said.
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Community and conflict
Years ago, when I was a very young minister, I had a conversation with a much older minister friend. During our visit, my older colleague counseled me that "there was never a reason or a justification for creating division in a church." On the surface that sounds like good, sound, common sense advice.
However, the subject of our discussion that day was racism.
I had described how I was challenging racist attitudes inside my congregation in Shreveport, Louisiana (1973-1975) and how my sermons created tension and some discord among the members of the church. My friend's response was to counsel me to avoid any subject that might lead to division, including racism.
I disagreed with him strongly at the time.
I've heard that same advice applied to any number of issues many times since those early days of my ministry.
I heard them again just a couple of weeks ago here in Dallas.
On this occasion the subject had to do with how a community provides adequate housing resources for the poorest among our neighbors. Our discussion related to where such housing could be/should be located. The problems of site selection for housing developments for the formerly homeless always come up whenever a project is suggested or being planned. Usually such projects face stiff opposition from neighborhood groups no matter where they are located.
My friend, a minister in Dallas, shared with me that he and his church were all about "building community." He told me that a plan they had developed for housing the homeless met with a great deal of opposition in the community where they intended to build it. Once they were aware of the opposition, they "backed off" out of their "commitment to building community." Frankly, I'm not sure what the church's responsibility should be in "building community" among those who oppose basic human rights among the poorest of our fellow citizens. But, that's what he said.
Of course, my question had to do with who speaks for the unorganized, extremely poor who live in our city without the benefit of housing or, even more importantly, voice.
What about the community enjoyed by or denied the poorest among us? What about battling the self-interested, well-housed on behalf of and alongside the marginalized, ill-housed out of compassion and a well-developed sense of fairness, equity and justice?
It's the same question I began with almost forty years ago now. The particular subject matter of my conversations change, but the call to stand with those who are isolated and so easily dismissed remains the same, at least to my way of thinking.
Is a community organized and standing against the weak, the minority and the excluded one that I need to regard with deference, let alone respect? I don't think so. If you stand against basic human rights, I'm no longer obligated to support your claims no matter who doesn't like it or what part of the community descents.
How do you see it?
However, the subject of our discussion that day was racism.
I had described how I was challenging racist attitudes inside my congregation in Shreveport, Louisiana (1973-1975) and how my sermons created tension and some discord among the members of the church. My friend's response was to counsel me to avoid any subject that might lead to division, including racism.
I disagreed with him strongly at the time.
I've heard that same advice applied to any number of issues many times since those early days of my ministry.
I heard them again just a couple of weeks ago here in Dallas.
On this occasion the subject had to do with how a community provides adequate housing resources for the poorest among our neighbors. Our discussion related to where such housing could be/should be located. The problems of site selection for housing developments for the formerly homeless always come up whenever a project is suggested or being planned. Usually such projects face stiff opposition from neighborhood groups no matter where they are located.
My friend, a minister in Dallas, shared with me that he and his church were all about "building community." He told me that a plan they had developed for housing the homeless met with a great deal of opposition in the community where they intended to build it. Once they were aware of the opposition, they "backed off" out of their "commitment to building community." Frankly, I'm not sure what the church's responsibility should be in "building community" among those who oppose basic human rights among the poorest of our fellow citizens. But, that's what he said.
Of course, my question had to do with who speaks for the unorganized, extremely poor who live in our city without the benefit of housing or, even more importantly, voice.
What about the community enjoyed by or denied the poorest among us? What about battling the self-interested, well-housed on behalf of and alongside the marginalized, ill-housed out of compassion and a well-developed sense of fairness, equity and justice?
It's the same question I began with almost forty years ago now. The particular subject matter of my conversations change, but the call to stand with those who are isolated and so easily dismissed remains the same, at least to my way of thinking.
Is a community organized and standing against the weak, the minority and the excluded one that I need to regard with deference, let alone respect? I don't think so. If you stand against basic human rights, I'm no longer obligated to support your claims no matter who doesn't like it or what part of the community descents.
How do you see it?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Speaking of taxes. . .
In Texas families in the bottom 20% of the income scale pay more than three-and-a-half times as great a share of their earnings in taxes as do the top 1%.
The poor in Texas pay 12.2% of their income on taxes, the 5th largest percentage in the U. S.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Disgrace!
Read the following editorial from the yesterday's edition of The Dallas Morning News and explain how this could happen. I'll be contacting my state legislators.
As a non-profit executive, if I authorized the use of designated or restricted funds for a use not specified in the grant, award, contribution or contract to fund our work at CitySquare, I would be in big trouble with my Board, with the source of the funding and with the community. At a minimum, I would be required to return the funds to their source.
But for elected officials in Texas I suppose all you need to do is make up a new set of rules. And, as usual, those who suffer the most and the most directly are the weakest, the most vulnerable, the poorest. I'm listening for people of faith and fairness to rise up and put a stop to this sort of shameful behavior.
As you'll read below, this is not the only program that gets cut by administrative policy and legislative slight of hand. What makes this move so abhorent right now, beyond the obvious misdirection of funds, is the horrific heat wave that assaults the state. Lives are at stake here, literally.
Things need to change in this state. and in a big way.
Here's my reaction: SHAMEFUL!
Editorial: Texans should be steamed about lawmakers' money tricks
When this month’s power bill arrives — the one pricier than your car payment — you probably won’t even notice the modest fee tacked on to help the poor and elderly keep their air conditioners on.
Six million Texas power customers pay a little each month to fund a program that provides utility-bill assistance to those who otherwise couldn’t afford to stay cool. An extra buck or so on your bill isn’t much to ask. And when it’s so hot that it feels like the sun might melt the hair off your head, who could argue with helping others survive the summer?
Texas lawmakers, apparently.
Read the entire editorial here.
For an earlier full report on the issue you may want to click here.
Reactions encouraged.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Payday lenders strike back
The following news story in the aftermath of CitySquare's success in advocating for substantive changes in city ordinances regulating payday lending among poor, laboring communities.
The fight has just begun, or so it would appear!
Lawsuit Filed Over Dallas Payday, Title Loan Rules
By Ken Kalthoff
Friday, Jul 15, 2011
A trade group representing payday and car title loan stores filed a lawsuit Friday to block regulations approved by the city of Dallas in June.
The Consumer Service Alliance of Texas claims the city rules violate state law and improperly restrict loan choices that should remain available to customers.
"We have no other option but to sue the city of Dallas to protect the interests of North Texas consumers who are best served when they are given a variety of realistic credit options and trusted to make financial decisions based on what's best for them and their families," CSAT President Alex Vaughn said in a press release.
The Dallas City Council approved the rules June 22 after the Texas Legislature decided against statewide restrictions on the high interest and fees the stores charge. "They chose to take a very limited action, and we chose to do the most we can at our city level," Councilman Jerry Allen said when the city rules were
approved.
Allen, a former banker, testified in favor of stronger payday loan regulations at hearings on the proposed state law in Austin this year. When drafting the Dallas ordinance, city lawyers decided restrictions on the
amount of interest rates and fees could only be determined by the state.
But Dallas did require lenders to set up payment plans that actually reduce the principal amount of the loan and not just roll over fees.
And the city rules also require registration and record-keeping on borrowers and lenders, which is similar to rules state lawmakers chose to impose statewide.
"This new, egregious Dallas ordinance conflicts with current law because it duplicates financial data collection requirements, limits access to credit for Dallas customers and restricts the terms under which loans may be
repaid," Vaughn said.
City officials could not be reached for comment late Friday, but Allen said in June that he expected a legal challenge and that the city's measure would survive.
"This is as strong a teeth that we can put into this, and it sends a message that we will not tolerate our citizens being taken advantage of," he said.
The fight has just begun, or so it would appear!
Lawsuit Filed Over Dallas Payday, Title Loan Rules
By Ken Kalthoff
Friday, Jul 15, 2011
A trade group representing payday and car title loan stores filed a lawsuit Friday to block regulations approved by the city of Dallas in June.
The Consumer Service Alliance of Texas claims the city rules violate state law and improperly restrict loan choices that should remain available to customers.
"We have no other option but to sue the city of Dallas to protect the interests of North Texas consumers who are best served when they are given a variety of realistic credit options and trusted to make financial decisions based on what's best for them and their families," CSAT President Alex Vaughn said in a press release.
The Dallas City Council approved the rules June 22 after the Texas Legislature decided against statewide restrictions on the high interest and fees the stores charge. "They chose to take a very limited action, and we chose to do the most we can at our city level," Councilman Jerry Allen said when the city rules were
approved.
Allen, a former banker, testified in favor of stronger payday loan regulations at hearings on the proposed state law in Austin this year. When drafting the Dallas ordinance, city lawyers decided restrictions on the
amount of interest rates and fees could only be determined by the state.
But Dallas did require lenders to set up payment plans that actually reduce the principal amount of the loan and not just roll over fees.
And the city rules also require registration and record-keeping on borrowers and lenders, which is similar to rules state lawmakers chose to impose statewide.
"This new, egregious Dallas ordinance conflicts with current law because it duplicates financial data collection requirements, limits access to credit for Dallas customers and restricts the terms under which loans may be
repaid," Vaughn said.
City officials could not be reached for comment late Friday, but Allen said in June that he expected a legal challenge and that the city's measure would survive.
"This is as strong a teeth that we can put into this, and it sends a message that we will not tolerate our citizens being taken advantage of," he said.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
The children. . .
Taking a closer look at the WIC website, I identified the program mission: "WIC provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk."
A program description reads: "WIC food packages and nutrition education are the chief means by which WIC affects the dietary quality and habits of participants."
WIC has worked hard to make the program incredibly efficient, while also upgrading the dietary quality of the food provided low-income mothers and children. Here's a description of recent gains in the quality of nutritive food products distributed:
"New food packages are now being provided to WIC participants in all States. On December 6, 2007, an interim rule revising the WIC food packages was published in the Federal Register. The new food packages align with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and infant feeding practice guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The food packages better promote and support the establishment of successful, long-term breastfeeding, provide WIC participants with a wider variety of foods including fruits and vegetables and whole grains, and provide WIC State agencies greater flexibility in prescribing food packages to accommodate the cultural food preferences of WIC participants."
For years we've referred women with infants to WIC for the nutritious food products needed by their little ones. Women earning at or below 185% of the federal poverty level have been eligible for the program. To put that in real terms, a mother with one child could earn up to $338 weekly gross and qualify for WIC food products.
Clearly, infant nutrition or the lack thereof drives a number of important social and , ultimately, economic and public health outcomes, including obesity, brain development and function, learning capacity, family stability, and overall well-being and health.
Aren't are children worth the cost? Isn't the investment one that will serve us all very well over the long haul?
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Plan for Public Education by Mayoral Candidate Mike Rawlings
Read the plan here.
One interesting aspect of the Rawlings plan involves recruiting a volunteer army of senior citizens to assist in the schools. . .Rawlings says up to 300,000!
One thing you can say for Mike, he dreams big.
My experience working with him when he was homeless czar for Dallas confirmed that he puts his money and his effort where his mouth is.
Interesting race at t his point.
Thoughts?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Public benefits benefit all of us. . .
That said, we often over look the fact that these benefits designed to lift "the poor" also benefit the rest of us. For example, SNAP funds (food stamps) are spent in retail grocery stores who benefit from the purchases the public benefits make possible. SNAP is a huge positive to Kroger's bottom line, resulting in jobs, dividends to share holders and economic growth in the community overall.
What is true of SNAP funds is also true of other public benefits received by low-income families. In fact, one of the quickest methods for injecting life into any economy is by means of direct benefits to those at the bottom of the economic ladder. For some reason most of us don't understand or give much thought to this economic reality.
Texas is not too proficient at claiming the benefits from the federal government that should be coming back to us. I say "back," because the benefits are funded by taxes we've already paid. When our state fails to enroll, certify and qualify eligible persons for the benefits for which they qualify, the result is a significant capital lost to our state's economy.
And, it is clear that our record of recovering those benefits is not good.
Here's the sad news about Texas and unclaimed federal dollars across a broad array of public benefits annually:
SNAP (food stamps) $2.4 billion unclaimed
Energy assistance $568.7 million unclaimed
Childrens' Health insurance $1.2 billion unclaimed
Children's Medicaid $866.2 million unclaimed
Adult Medicaid (aged & disabled) $523.6 million
Medicare Part D Low-Income RX $236 million
Pell Grants for college tuition $349.3 million
For a grand total, conservatively estimated at $6.1 billion annually!
We fail to enroll all of the eligible participants and we loose the funding for Texas. As a result, tax dollars that I pay leave Texas and benefit other states. During tough economic times for our state, this loss is completely unacceptable.
In addition, each of these funds, once claimed and spent, possess and exhibit a "multiplier effect" in the economy. In other words, these funds and their impact on the economy multiply as they circulate and are spent and respent through various sectors of our economy.
Here's the multiplier factor for several of these funds designed to assist the poorest and weakest among us:
SNAP (food stamps) spent in retail grocery stores has a multiplier effect of 1.95 per dollar spent.
CHIP's multiplier effect is 3.17 per dollar spent.
Adult Medicaid--3.17 per dollar.
Energy assistance--2.25 per dollar.
Pell Grants--3.15 per dollar.
Medicare RX--2.67 per dollar.
The overall impact of these public benefits beyond the aid to poor families themselves includes a stimulus to the economy of the state in real dollars and in new jobs. When we fail to draw down these benefits, we fail our own economy and we act in opposition to our own interests as tax payers.
We can do better. We should start by simply understanding the reality behind the numbers.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Texas tax system: fair or unfair?
Tax Fairness Fairness of a tax system can be judged by comparing the percentage of income different households pay in taxes. In a state with a fair tax system, households with higher incomes, who can afford to pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes, pay more.
In Texas, the households with the lowest incomes pay the highest percentage of their income in taxes; the households with the highest incomes pay the lowest percentage of their income in taxes. In other words, those who can least afford it pay the most. A system that takes a higher percentage of the income of a
lower-income family is called "regressive."
Texas has the fifth most regressive state and local tax system of the 50 states.
Households with the Lowest Income Pay the Highest Percentage in State and Local Taxes
[This report provided by the Center for Public Policy Priorities. To read the entire, much more extensive report click here.]
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Action Alert- Call Your State Representative Today!
From Texas Appleseed and the Anti Poverty Coalition:
Today, the House Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services Committee will be hearing bills related to payday and auto title lending. HB 410, HB 656, HB 661, and HB 1323 are identical bills that close the loophole in Texas law that permits 500% interest rates (and higher) on payday and car title loans. In Texas, there are more than 3,000 of these high cost lenders operating through the loophole.
TAKE ACTION!Now is the time to let the committee members know that you want them to support the four bills that close the CSO loophole (HB 410, HB 656, HB 661, and HB 1323 ) and that 500% interest rates hurt families and hurt communities. The only true solution to this abuse is to close the loophole, which the state legislature must do. State legislators are hearing lots from the payday and auto title industry and their army of lobbyists, so now they must hear from you.
Let them know TODAY that you think 500% interest is wrong and the state must close the loophole by passing HB 410, HB 656, HB 661, or HB 1323.
Each phone number begins with (512) 463. The remaining numbers are listed next to committee member's names:
Rep Vicki Truitt 0690
Rep. Rafael Anchia 0746
Rep. Charles "Doc" Anderson 0135
Rep. Brandon Creighton 0726
Rep. Ana Hernandez Luna 0614
Rep. Ken Legler 0460
Rep. Barbara Nash 0562
Rep. Rob Orr 0538
Rep. Marc Veasery 0716
To find out which State Senator represents you click here.
Let them know TODAY that you think 500% interest is wrong and the state must close the loophole by passing HB 410, HB 656, HB 661, or HB 1323.
Each phone number begins with (512) 463. The remaining numbers are listed next to committee member's names:
Rep Vicki Truitt 0690
Rep. Rafael Anchia 0746
Rep. Charles "Doc" Anderson 0135
Rep. Brandon Creighton 0726
Rep. Ana Hernandez Luna 0614
Rep. Ken Legler 0460
Rep. Barbara Nash 0562
Rep. Rob Orr 0538
Rep. Marc Veasery 0716
To find out which State Senator represents you click here.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Evangelical Christians and budget cuts
Interesting report from the Pew Research Center published in Christianity Today magazine. What do you think?
Polling Evangelicals: Cut Aid to World's Poor, Unemployed
Tobin Grant
posted 2/18/2011 02:08PM
A Pew Research Center survey suggests evangelicals prefer the government spend on schools, the military, and police.
The House of Representatives is working day and night in its effort to cut more than $60 billion from the federal budget. The House is considering a continuing resolution, a bill used to fund the federal government for the remainder of the year [passed earlier this week]. The bill includes deep cuts for environmental agencies, education, and foreign aid (except those related to security). It makes modest reductions for defense, homeland security, and police. These cuts are in line with the spending priorities of most American evangelicals.
Click here to read the entire report with helpful graphics.
Polling Evangelicals: Cut Aid to World's Poor, Unemployed
Tobin Grant
posted 2/18/2011 02:08PM
A Pew Research Center survey suggests evangelicals prefer the government spend on schools, the military, and police.
The House of Representatives is working day and night in its effort to cut more than $60 billion from the federal budget. The House is considering a continuing resolution, a bill used to fund the federal government for the remainder of the year [passed earlier this week]. The bill includes deep cuts for environmental agencies, education, and foreign aid (except those related to security). It makes modest reductions for defense, homeland security, and police. These cuts are in line with the spending priorities of most American evangelicals.
Click here to read the entire report with helpful graphics.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Number 1 problem for public education and growing: poverty
[The following article by Katha Pollitt, "It Takes a Village, Not a Tiger," appeared in the February 28, 2011 edition of The Nation.]
Are you a tiger mother, a soccer mom, a helicopter parent, an attachment mom, a permissive free spirit who just wants your child to be herself?
Congratulations.
Your kids have a good chance of turning out reasonably well. Not because you are a parenting genius who has hit on the perfect method but because you have the time and energy and cultural capital to give your child what he needs to be successful in today’s world no matter what child-raising method you choose.
You are probably not, for example, poor, homeless, functionally illiterate, socially isolated, an addict, in prison, living in substandard housing, working three low-paid jobs—or unemployed for life.
You have books in your house, and probably a computer too.
You know enough to help your child with homework—and if not, you have the money or networks to find a tutor.
You feel comfortable volunteering at your child’s school, being in the PTA, calling the principal, going to parent-teacher conferences.
You can afford to take your child to the doctor and the dentist for regular care.
If your child should happen to get arrested, as quite a few do—if he’s caught with pot, say, or spray-paints graffiti, or jumps a turnstile—there’s a good chance that the charges can be made to go away, or at least not become part of his permanent record.
Your ex may have run off with your best friend, your apartment may be too small, you may hate your job—but you are still a white-collar, college-educated, middle-class person. And that makes all the difference for your children.
The biggest barrier to educational achievement today is not any of the things the media talk endlessly about: poorly prepared teachers, badly run schools, too many tests, low standards.
It’s child poverty—which, like poverty in general, has just dropped out of the discourse.
To read the entire essay click here.
Congratulations.
Your kids have a good chance of turning out reasonably well. Not because you are a parenting genius who has hit on the perfect method but because you have the time and energy and cultural capital to give your child what he needs to be successful in today’s world no matter what child-raising method you choose.
You are probably not, for example, poor, homeless, functionally illiterate, socially isolated, an addict, in prison, living in substandard housing, working three low-paid jobs—or unemployed for life.
You have books in your house, and probably a computer too.
You know enough to help your child with homework—and if not, you have the money or networks to find a tutor.
You feel comfortable volunteering at your child’s school, being in the PTA, calling the principal, going to parent-teacher conferences.
You can afford to take your child to the doctor and the dentist for regular care.
If your child should happen to get arrested, as quite a few do—if he’s caught with pot, say, or spray-paints graffiti, or jumps a turnstile—there’s a good chance that the charges can be made to go away, or at least not become part of his permanent record.
Your ex may have run off with your best friend, your apartment may be too small, you may hate your job—but you are still a white-collar, college-educated, middle-class person. And that makes all the difference for your children.
The biggest barrier to educational achievement today is not any of the things the media talk endlessly about: poorly prepared teachers, badly run schools, too many tests, low standards.
It’s child poverty—which, like poverty in general, has just dropped out of the discourse.
The Democrats don’t talk about it, except to wag the finger at deadbeat dads and teen moms, and the media don’t talk about it except in the context of crime or individual triumph. In fact, from the coverage you’d think our current crisis chiefly affected the middle classes—office managers, newly minted lawyers, college grads who have to move back in with their parents—when actually the unemployment rate for people with college degrees is 4.2 percent, which is where it was for all Americans before the recession.
By contrast, for those with only a high school diploma unemployment is 9.4 percent; for high school dropouts it’s 14.2 percent. And those figures measure only those actively looking for work, not the millions who’ve given up or have never held a job (some 16.5 percent of black men over 20). All those women pushed off welfare, called success stories because they got a job as a receptionist or a security guard or a clerk, with supposedly the hope of something better to come? Forget them.
Inconveniently, though, the poor and near poor, whom we don’t care about, come attached to children, for whom we supposedly have some concern. So how are the kids doing?
Saturday, December 11, 2010
John Lewis on the DREAM Act
Civil rights icon and U. S. Congressman from Georgia, John Lewis expressed his strong convictions about the DREAM Act this week:
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