Advocates and lawmakers focused on cutting poverty in Arkansas in half by 2020 helped pass several pieces of legislation during the 2011 session of the Arkansas General Assembly. These new laws and others show that the partners, community leaders...
Congress has unveiled a budget plan called “The Path to Prosperity.” Prosperity for whom? For those already prosperous, it seems. The budget plan, from House Budget Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI), would make radical cuts to safety net programs and investments...
Now that Congress has averted a federal government shutdown, all eyes turn to the 2012 budget. President Obama announced his budget proposal in February, and recently House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R – WI) announced his budget proposal....
The Arkansas economy continues to strain under the recession that has swept the nation. The Great Recession’s toll on Arkansas workers has been particularly heavy for those who started behind during better times, including minority and low-income families. For...
Even though state general revenue has improved since this time last year and is in step with the revenue forecast, our state budget still has not returned to the level we saw before the recession hit Arkansas. The General...
Statement from AACF Executive Director Rich Huddleston on the U.S. House of Representative budget proposal for 2012: Without exception, the House Republican’s 2012 spending plan places a greater value on millionaire tax breaks than the quality of life for...
On Tax Day let’s remember that it isn’t just a payment deadline, but also the day we pool our resources to build a better tomorrow. Year after year, generations of Americans have invested in education, health and safety so...
Each year the Tax Foundation observes the so-called “Tax Freedom Day,” the day of the year when Americans have supposedly earned enough money to have fully paid all of their taxes (local, state, and federal). This year, the Tax...
While some states have seen personal income growth during the past year, most continue to struggle economically, according to recently released data from the Commerce Department. Only 10 states, including Arkansas, saw individual earnings exceed pre-recession earnings. These 10...
The Arkansas Finish Line Coalition was pleased to see Senate Bill 65 signed by Gov. Mike Beebe Wednesday. It will ensure as many as 20,000 children eligible for ARKids First health insurance aren’t pushed out of coverage because of...