Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor

Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor

by | Oct 1, 2024

Georgia news, in the news, current events, Georgia happenings, GA happenings

Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor

As Congress continues to debate the Farm Bill and the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a critical flaw in the U.S. safety net system remains largely unaddressed: benefits cliffs.

Our research, alongside studies from the Atlanta Fed and others, highlights a troubling reality. Many vital safety net programs penalize participants for working and earning “too much” money. These benefits cliffs mean that working poor who receive even a modest raise can suddenly see important benefits like child care, food stamps, and Medicaid dramatically reduced or eliminated entirely.

 

Read the full opinion in The Center Square.

Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor

Strengthening Partnerships: Valley Hospital & Community Organizations

by | Sep 26, 2024

Georgia news, in the news, current events, Georgia happenings, GA happenings

Strengthening Partnerships: Valley Hospital & Community Organizations

Featured in the Valley Hospitality Newsletter

We’re excited to share that on Thursday, September 19, 2024, Bella Marshall from our Human Resources team met with key leaders to solidify partnerships that will enhance our workforce initiatives at Valley Hospitality.

Bella had the pleasure of discussing collaborative opportunities with Margaret Jones, CEO of Jobs for Life, and Kristin Barker, VP of Workforce Solutions at Georgia Center for Opportunity & Better Work Columbus. These organizations play a pivotal role in workforce development and align with our commitment to building a strong and sustainable workforce.

The Better Work program is relational which is essential to our goal of life transformation. One way we do this is through Jobs for Life classes o_ered in partnership with churches and non-profits throughout our community.

This program teaches essential skills, incorporates meaningful relationships, and provides ongoing support to Jobs for Life graduates as they transition into the workforce. After completing the 10-week course, participants are not left to navigate the job market alone; instead, they become part of a supportive community committed to their success.

Graduates receive personalized assistance tailored to their unique needs, including connections to job interviewing opportunities that align with their skills and aspirations.

Valley Hospitality is excited to support these e_orts by helping provide these jobs, further strengthening our community through this meaningful partnership!

Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor

Point: When Violent Crime Was at Its Worst, Congressional Action Helped – DC Journal – InsideSources

by | Sep 26, 2024

Georgia news, in the news, current events, Georgia happenings, GA happenings

Point: When Violent Crime Was at Its Worst, Congressional Action Helped – DC Journal – InsideSources

For an alternate viewpoint, see “Counterpoint: The 1994 Crime Bill’s Legacy — Thirty Years of Failure.”

By the early 1990s, the United States had experienced dramatic and unprecedented surges in crime, with the violent crime rate up 470 percent from 1961 and the murder rate up 92 percent from that year.

Life in American cities was more dangerous than ever, and punishment was not fitting the crimes. While the median sentence for murder was 15 years, the median time served was only 5.5 years. The median sentence for rape was five years, but the median time served was a paltry three. Overall, violent criminals served, on average, 37 percent (2 years, 11 months) of their sentenced time. Forty-four percent of Americans said there was an area near where they lived that they would be afraid to walk alone at night.

In response to widespread pressure from law enforcement and residents, on September 13, 1994, former president Bill Clinton signed the bipartisan Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Commonly referred to as the 1994 Crime Bill, this omnibus package was the most serious federal effort to reduce violent crime in U.S. history. The bill injected billions into hiring police, created a grant program to encourage state adoption of Truth in Sentencing laws, added prison capacity, and criminalized gang membership — among other provisions.

To read the full article click here.

Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor

Report: Welfare a barrier to economic mobility for low-income workers

by | Sep 18, 2024

Georgia news, in the news, current events, Georgia happenings, GA happenings

Report: Welfare a barrier to economic mobility for low-income workers

At a campaign stop in North Carolina last month, Vice President Kamala Harris suggested that efforts to combat price gouging are needed to help poor and middle-class households. But a new research report shows that government transfer benefits are contributing to the financial burdens and limitations of low-income households.

The report from the Georgia Center for Opportunity highlights how social safety-net programs, while providing a baseline of support, may inadvertently deter low-income workers from seeking higher-paying jobs due to the “benefits cliff.”

The report, titled “Workforce Engagement: A Missing Link in Understanding Income Inequality,” examines how programs like food stamps, Medicaid, and housing subsidies create barriers to long-term financial independence.

The benefits cliff occurs when a small increase in wages results in a significant reduction or loss of government benefits, leaving workers with a net loss in income. This phenomenon discourages individuals from pursuing career advancements and higher-paying jobs.

The report emphasizes that these safety-net benefits can create disincentives for the lowest-paid workers to move up the economic ladder. After adjusting for taxes and transfer payments, the bottom quintile has nearly the same net income as the second quintile, despite earning almost four times less. This is primarily due to the higher level of government support received by the former group.

Read the full article here

 

Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor

“DOING RIGHT BY KIDS” BOOK EVENT TOMORROW

by | Sep 10, 2024

Georgia news, in the news, current events, Georgia happenings, GA happenings

“DOING RIGHT BY KIDS” BOOK EVENT TOMORROW

One of my colleagues Josh Crawford, contributed to a book titled “Doing Right by Kids: Leveraging Social Capital and Innovation to Increase Opportunity.“

The book will be released next week, but tomorrow the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) will host what they’re calling a book event tomorrow.

AEI describes the event:

Material hardship among American children has never been lower. Yet children born to the most disadvantaged parents today are just as likely as they were in the past to become the most disadvantaged adults when they grow up.

In a new edited volume, Doing Right Kids: Leveraging Social Capital and Innovation to Increase Opportunity, leading scholars diagnose problems of unequal opportunity and describe how conservative policy can promote the American Dream by strengthening the relationships of children and adolescents and the institutions they are connected to.

 

Learn more: Vist the Peach Pundit