NEWS & OPINIONS
How Can You Measure Welfare Program Success? Part 1
When someone needs financial help or workforce training from the government, where do they go?
If we just allowed people to navigate federal programs on their own, the average person would be completely overw
Health Care Waiver Approvals Are Good News
By Erik Randolph Amidst the noise of the presidential election, the mainstream news media missed a major announcement the prior Sunday that promises to positively impact the lives of many Georgians. The announcement could signal a turning point in the near...
GCO welcomes Jace Brooks as Director of the Gwinnett Workforce Initiative
As a member of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, Jace had worked for years to bring together nonprofits with government resources in the human-services area. All of these efforts went into overdrive when the first case of COVID-19 arrived in Gwinnett County.
Statement from GCO president Randy Hicks on 2020 election results
Election night is over but the most impactful decisions occur in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities.
Op-Ed: It’s time for Georgia to reign in policing for profit
Much needed conversations are happening in recent weeks across Georgia and our nation on policing reforms. One practical area of reform that can’t fall by the wayside is this: It’s time to break the connection between policing and profit.
The Working-Class Welfare Trap: How Policy Penalizes Marriage | NATIONAL REVIEW
Our tax and welfare policies often penalize marriage, trapping too many people in poverty. ...Not surprisingly, these penalties seem to play a role in fueling working-class Americans’ retreat from marriage that we have seen play out over the past three decades. In...
Welfare Cliffs and Gaps: The role health insurance plays in upward mobility
Cody and Estelle are a young married couple living in a suburban neighborhood. Cody has a full-time job and Estelle is a nanny so she can have their daughter with her at work. They make just enough money to pay the rent…
The Best Administrative Structure for Welfare
When someone needs financial help or workforce training from the government, where do they go?
If we just allowed people to navigate federal programs on their own, the average person would be completely overw
We could all use a good laugh right now, right?
We’re excited to announce that comedian and inspirational speaker Michael Jr. will be joining us as a keynote speaker for Breakthrough Online 2020.
New GCO poll: 81% of parents support educational microgrants during COVID-19
The Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) today released the results of a parent opinion poll that found 81 percent of respondents in favor of using federal emergency relief funds to help parents cover some educational costs during the coronavirus pandemic.
How Second Chances Impact Communities
Our communities need to understand and appreciate Kevin and others like him. We must begin to see past our biases and speak life into those who have fallen. The poverty of community is just as important (if not more important) than economic poverty, and the butterfly effect I am describing is always at play either in a positive or in a negative way.
The Top 5 Recommendations to the Feds on Economic Mobility
If you had the opportunity to tell federal agencies what they need to do to help low-income people improve their economic circumstances, what would you tell them?
This is not an arbitrary question. It was formally asked by the current administration in Washington, D.C.
MEDIA MENTIONS
We must rein in violent crime to help those who need economic opportunity
Businesses are moving out of cities and neighborhoods with rising crime rates. By abandoning these high-risk locations, these businesses take with them any job opportunities they provide to poorer residents.
Former Trump Advisor Launches ‘Public Safety Solutions for America’ Coalition
Josh Crawford joins former Trump advisor Ja’Ron Smith in the launch of Public Safety Solutions for America, an alliance of non-profit organizations and leaders with a smart-on-crime approach to improving public safety.
Georgia to receive $38M federal grant to expand charter schools
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a nearly $38.3 million grant to fund the expansion of charter schools throughout Georgia.
Expert says despite improved federal data, Georgia still faces inflationary pressures
While the July and August Consumer Price Index numbers show “inflation has stalled,” a Georgia expert warns that “we’re not out of the woods yet.”
Report ranks Georgia 14th nationally for educational freedom
Georgia ranked 14th in the nation for its educational freedom, according to a new index from the Heritage Foundation.
Opinion: Expanded school choice can help pandemic learning losses
Buzz Brockway, a former Republican legislator from Gwinnett, is vice president of public policy for the right-leaning think tank Georgia Center for Opportunity, which promotes school choice.
Gwinnett government departments will begin presenting 2023 budget requests on Monday
Five Gwinnett County residents will hear budget presentations from Gwinnett County government department heads over the next week, and they will be tasked with helping County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson decide what to put in the county’s 2023 budget.
New economic data shows that Georgia is outperforming many states
New economic data shows Georgia is outperforming many other states across the country.
