In July 2006 the Chicago City Council voted 35-14 to pass a new ordinance that requires large retailers to provide employees with a compensation package consisting of a minimum living wage and a minimum benefits package.… Read More
The Vermont legislature passed Act 60, The Equal Educational Opportunity Act, in June 1997, following a February state Supreme Court ruling in a class-action suit that Vermont’s method of paying for education was inequitable and unconstitutional.… Read More
Maryland’s legislature enacted a new education finance system in 2002. It provides for $1.3 billion annually in additional school funding, and targets this increase to districts with lower wealth and more high-need students. Maryland is one of the first states to reform its school finance system based on the cost of providing every student with the opportunity to achieve the state’s achievement standards.… Read More
New Mexico’s school funding formula has long been considered one of the most equalized in the nation. A state will tend to have more equalized funding when several conditions apply: a) the state takes on a larger share of the funding (as opposed to when individual school districts raise the majority of funds through property taxes); b) states target their funding to poorer districts, and; c) states take into account regional differences in the cost of education (for instance, it is more expensive to educate a child in New York City than in Plattsburgh.)… Read More
Wisconsin is the only state to condition benefits on the number of children a family has: 4% of the federal credit for one child, 14% for two children and 43% for three children.… Read More
Minnesota’s benefits are among the highest: from 15% to 46% of the federal credit, depending on earnings.… Read More
Since 1971 all Canadian citizens, regardless of income, employment or health, have enjoyed access to basic health care, whether it’s provided in a hospital, home or clinic. Canada provides this coverage at a fraction of what the United States pays in health care costs. Americans spend 14 percent of their GDP on health care expenditures; Canadians only 9 percent. Yet despite its high cost, the U.S. system fails to insure more than 44 million of its citizens. Some analysts predict that figure will grow to 60 million by 2008.… Read More
The Assets for Independence Act was passed as part of the Community Opportunities, Accountability, and Training and Educational Services Act of 1998. The text of the legislation can be accessed through Thomas, the Library of Congress’ portal to legislative information.… Read More
Connecticut’s legislature authorized an IDA program in June 2000, through Public Act 00-192. The state Department of Labor manages a reserve fund of both state funds and private sector contributions, and certifies publicly and privately financed programs. Corporations that contribute to the state fund receive tax credits from the state. Donations to IDAs operated by non-profits are tax deductible. Community organizations administer the programs. Financial institutions provide accounts with no minimum balance or monthly fees, at least a market rate of interest, and assistance with the financial education aspects of the programs.… Read More