A new study released today by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) ranks Arkansas as the 20th most unfair tax system in the nation and one of the worst when it comes to taxing the poor. The lowest...
When do children begin to learn? Believe it or not, school readiness begins in the womb. Research show the first few years of life, including the prenatal months, are the most important for healthy brain development. Unfortunately, too many...
Accounting for all the possible curveballs the future economy might throw at our state is impossible. That’s why legislators bother coming together every year to assess our budget and make choices based on the best available, most current information....
Note: This blog is second in a series of posts covering the findings in the 2018 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book. To read the first blog post, click here. The economy is still moving along following...
The number of Arkansas children in poverty has decreased by 28,000 since 2010, according to data in the 2018 KIDS COUNT® Data Book released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Despite this progress, 24 percent of the state’s...
The foundation for health and wealth starts at birth and influences success at every stage of life. Learn more in our latest infographic or in its parent publication “Health and Wealth in Arkansas.”
Poverty has long been known to impact health outcomes. People with greater wealth tend to live longer. They also live in safer homes and cleaner neighborhoods. They have access to healthier foods and better health care. Generally, they can...
The Tax Reform and Relief Task force continued to pare down the long list of potential tax changes this week. These changes will ultimately comprise their final recommendations, due in September of this year. Some good ideas made it...
Across the board, black men and boys in Arkansas encounter significant barriers. They face a higher rate of infant mortality, child poverty, and incarceration than their white peers. They also have lower high-school graduation rates and family income levels. These...
Earlier this week, Governor Hutchinson proposed increasing the homestead property tax credit from $350 to $375. The problem? It’s a poorly designed tax cut that WON’T help most low-income households and the many middle-income households who RENT and need...