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ISSUE BRIEF: TAX TOPICS FOR 2010
Rhode Islanders understand that we make a collective investment in a safe, prosperous state by setting aside a portion of our income to pay for the kinds of public structures and services that enhance the quality of life for all of us. Due to the national economic recession, however, state revenues have plummeted, leaving us without the resources we need to support these essential public systems and structures. In order to get Rhode Islanders back on their feet, and to ensure that our businesses and our communities have the resources they need, we must take a balanced approach to solving our budget problems. That means not only looking at how to be more mindful about our spending, but also looking at ways in which we can make our tax system more sustainable for the long-term. This issue brief covers several state tax policy issues and recommendations that would improve the accountability, adequacy, and equity of our tax structure.
REPORT RELEASE: PRIORITIZING APPROACHES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NEW ENGLAND: SKILLS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TAX INCENTIVES
A new report by Jeffrey Thompson of the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts, documents how investments in our current and future workforce, and the infrastructure that businesses and communities rely on, generate greater returns than tax credits and giveaways. Thompson is a research economist based at PERI and funded in part by The Poverty Institute.
Click here to read the brief
Click here to read the full report
PRESENTATION: State of the State (Interfaith Coalition Conference, Linda Katz, 5.11.10)
PRESENTATION: New Medicaid Coverage for Children (RIte Care Workshop, Linda Katz, Carl Krueger, 5.13.10)
ISSUE BRIEF: Office of Child Support Staff Reductions Weaken Enforcement Capabilitie (5.10)
The Child Support program, operated by the Office of Child Support Services, is vitally important to tens of thousands of Rhode Island single parent families. This issue brief, taken from “An Uneven Path: State Investments in Women’s Economics Self Sufficiency”, explains how reductions in staff and high caseloads weaken the ability of child support enforcement to establish orders and collect support for families.
REPORT: "An Uneven Path: State Investments in Women's Economic Self Sufficiency" (4.10)
The Poverty Institute is proud to announce the public release of our newest report "An Uneven Path: State Investments in Women's Economic Self Sufficiency." State investments in programs that help women and their families attain or maintain economic self-sufficiency have been severely eroded in recent years. This report, co-released with the Women's Fund of Rhode Island, documents the impact of the cuts to the four main programs that help low- and modest-income families make ends meet: child care assistance, cash assistance, health care, and child support. In these harsh economic times, it is imperative that women have access to the programs that help them seek and sustain employment while caring for their families.
Read the full report
Read the executive summary
Read the press release
FACT SHEET: The Rhode Island Works Program: Failing Children and Families (4.10)
An overview of how changes to Rhode Island's cash assistance program over the past few years have dramatically impacted local children and families.
ISSUE BRIEF: Corporate Giveaways Costly to Rhode Island Taxpayers (3.10)
State leaders need to take a balanced approach to solving our financial problems. That means making sure each dollar we spend is a wise, efficient investment. It also means carefully reviewing our state revenue policies. As Rhode Island faces one of the worst fiscal crises in history, we must consider not only what we spend but also what we give away. The Ocean State missing the boat by failing to enact combined reporting and decoupling from the federal “domestic production deduction” corporate tax break.
ISSUE BRIEF: The Flat Tax Causing Steep Decline in Revenue (3.10)
Over the past decade, Rhode Island has given up hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue through a variety of tax breaks of questionable value to the economy. The "flat tax" is one example of a tax break enacted in recent years that is costing the state tens of millions of dollars in forgone revenue. It has no documented benefit to the state's economy and benefits a small number of high income households.
ISSUE BRIEF: Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back: Governor's FY2011 Proposed Tax Policie (2.10)
While the Governor proposes two revenue proposals that make sense (eliminating two costly tax credit programs)he also proposes two new questionable tax cuts will cost at least $21.5 million a year, while continuing to support the phase out of the flat tax.
SUMMARY: Governor Carcieri's FY2011 Budget Proposals Impacting Human Service Program (2.10)
Interested in finding out how the Governor's proposed FY2011 budget impacts Health and Human Services Agencies like DCYF, MHRH and the Department of Health? The Poverty Institute has developed a summary of the major proposals that affect the services provided by the five Health and Human Services agencies.
REPORT: Who Pays? A Distributiuonal Analysis of Tax Systems in All 50 States (Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, November 2009)
Who Pays? is a comprehensive analysis of state and local tax systemsin all 50 states. According to the new study, low- and middle-income families in Rhode Island pay a far higher share of their income in state and local taxes than do the wealthiest families.
• FACT SHEET: Who Pays? Rhode Island Fact Sheet
• FULL REPORT: Who Pays? A Distributiuonal Analysis of Tax Systems in All 50 States
ISSUE BRIEF: “Tax Incentive Disclosure And Accountability” (Tax Facts 9.09)
The Rhode Island Department of Revenue recently released its second annual report documenting the cost of six tax credits and the corporations receiving them. The Poverty Institute provides highlights of this report, as well as a detailed description of the six credits. The Institute points out that subsequent reporting on the number of jobs created and/or retained as a result of the credits is long overdue, making it difficult to evaluate the cost effectiveness of the credits.
STATISTICS: Proposed Appropriations of ARRA Funds in Governor’s Budget: Listed By Department (5.26.09)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) requires states to report to the federal government how they use the federal economic stimulus dollars. The attached document lists how the Governor is proposing to use these funds, as outlined in his FY2010 budget. While not a final list of how funds will be used, this provides a starting point for how much each department expects to receive and how they will be used.
FACT SHEET: Proposed restructuring of Rhode Island's Personal Income Tax (Article 38) is Expensive and Ineffective (5.09)
FACT SHEET: Phasing Out Rhode Island's Corporate Income Tax (Article 37) is Unaffordable, Unsound and Unfair Public Policy (5.09)
ISSUE BRIEF: Improving Equity, Adequacy and Efficiency in Rhode Island's Tax Structure Tax Facts #10 (5.15.09)
An issue brief on the importance of a sound tax system, with recommendations on improving the equity, adequacy and efficiency of Rhode Island tax structure.
FACT SHEET: Skills2Compete: A Skilled Workforce is Key (5.09)
FACT SHEET: Helping Workers Increase Their Jobs and Move Up the Job Ladder: Improvements to the Starting RIte Subsidized Child Care Program (4.27.09)
FACT SHEET: State Spending & Caseload Trends for Work Support Programs (4.27.09)
FACT SHEET: States With Separate Child Care Eligibility Limits for Families Entering and Those Already Receiving Assistance (4.27.09)
ISSUE BRIEF: "Improving Rhode Island's Tax Expenditure Reporting" (4.9.09)
The Poverty Institute has issued a brief on current legislation that would improve the State’s Tax Expenditures Reporting, in hopes that new legislation would shine a brighter light on the costs and benefits of these expenditures.
PRESENTATION: "Mega Changes for Medicaid" (3.25.09)
Presented by Linda Katz at the Rhode Island State Nurses Assocation Annual Conference
PRESENTATION: "Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Rhode Island" (3.24.09)
Presented on The Poverty Institute's Webinar on March 24, 2009 by Russell Dannecker, Fiscal Policy Analyst of The Poverty Institute
PRESENTATION: "Understanding Governor Carcieri's Tax Proposals and Developing Alternatives to Them" (3.24.09)
Presented on The Poverty Institute's Webinar on March 24, 2009 by Jeff McLynch, Northeast Regional Director of ITEP
PRESENTATION: American Resource & Recovery Act: An Overview (3.19.09)
Presented at "Decoding the Economic Stimulus: An Informational Forum"
PRESENTATION:American Resource & Recovery Act: Support for Low-income Families (3.19.09)
Presented at "Decoding the Economic Stimulus: An Informational Forum"
ISSUE BRIEF: Increase the Child Support Pass-Through; Help Rhode Island's Poorest Children (posted 3.13.09)
Legislation is being proposed by Representative Pacheco and Senator Lynch to increase the child support pass-through for families receiving cash assistance.
SUMMARY: THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESMENT ACT - IMPACT FOR LOW AND MODEST-INCOME RHODE ISLANDERS (3.09)
This summary provides information, where available, on what Rhode Island is likely to receive for programs that will directly benefit thousands of Rhode Islanders as well as fiscal relief for the state that can help avert cuts to services and programs.
SUMMARY: Summary of Federal Stimulus Money Coming to Rhode Island for Programs that Help Low- and Moderate Income Rhode Islanders (1.29.09)
This summary provides information on what was included in the House and Senate bills as of January 29, 2009. The House passed their bill on January 28th and the Senate is expected to vote on their version next week. We will update this summary as information becomes available.
REPORT: The Rhode Island Standard of Need (RISN) (12.08)
The Rhode Island Standard of Need (RISN) provides a realistic standard for measuring the economic well-being of families and single adults.
Click here for the full report, executive summary, charts and media coverage for the 2008 RISN
REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS 2008
REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS 2006-2007
REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS PRIOR TO 2006
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