Public Services, Budgets, and Economic Development

Too often, states and cities pursue economic development strategies that amount to little more than tax giveaways to big corporations. Pushing back on this flawed approach, EARN groups design and promote smart economic development policies that invest in infrastructure, in people, and in the communities where opportunity is lacking.

Smart economic development means strong workforce development programs, such as apprenticeships and sector strategies; infrastructure investments in transportation, schools, broadband, and healthcare; and community development projects that deliver good, high-paying jobs to local residents, especially in communities of color, and other underserved communities.

Federal funds for state and local governments

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Public Services and Employment

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Education

High-quality and equitable education opportunities, ranging across early childhood, K-12, technical education, higher education and apprenticeships, are pivotal for the economic prospects of working people and their children. Read More.

Healthcare

Across the country, 29.8 million people would lose their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act were repealed—more than doubling the number of people without health insurance. And 1.2 million jobs would be lost—not just in health care but across the board. Read More.

Infrastructure

State and local governments account for the bulk of public spending on infrastructure. Infrastructure investments can ensure that we do not leave future generations a deficit of underinvestment and deferred maintenance of public assets. Read more.

Budgets and Taxes

Closing budget deficits is not always the optimal fiscal policy in the short term  or the medium term. Instead, budgets should simply be seen as a tool with which to boost living standards. Read More.

Publications

Undocumented Workers Pay Millions in Oregon Taxes and Would Pay Millions More Under Immigration Reform

Undocumented Oregonians pay taxes. The millions in taxes they pay to help fund schools and other public services that strengthen Oregon’s economy.

Oregon would collect even more tax revenue under comprehensive immigration reform that would open a path to citizenship for undocumented workers. Under such a scenario, these immigrant Oregonians and aspiring citizens would contribute so much more in state and local taxes that their tax payments as a share of their income would exceed the share paid by Oregon’s wealthiest 1 percent.

Who Pays for School Property Tax Elimination? An Analysis of School Property Tax Burdens in Pennsylvania

Far from providing relief for working families, recent proposals to eliminate school property taxes in Pennsylvania would increase taxes on the middle class while sabotaging the chance to adequately fund Pennsylvania schools for middle- and low-income families.

This report provides the first estimates of the impact of property tax elimination proposals on families in Pennsylvania. Echoing recent debates about U.S. health care policy, our findings demonstrate that, in the case of proposed property tax elimination in Pennsylvania, the devil is in the details.

Most would get tax cut under Gov. John Bel Edwards’ tax plan

Louisiana is $440 million short of the revenue needed to fund state government at current levels in next year’s budget. The problem gets much worse in the 2018-19 fiscal year, when more than $1.3 billion in temporary taxes are due to expire – creating a “fiscal cliff” that would require drastic cuts to state services if left unaddressed.

To plug these holes, Gov. John Bel Edwards has proposed a package of tax reforms that would overhaul the state sales tax, the personal income tax, and the taxes that corporations pay. If all elements of the plan are approved, it would raise enough revenue to plug the coming fiscal year’s $440 million shortfall and avoid the 2018-19 fiscal cliff. It would generate about $411 million per year in new, recurring revenue and would provide a net tax cut to 95 percent of Louisiana families. The largest effective tax cut would go to the middle 20 percent of taxpayers – households earning between $36,000 and $56,000 per year.

The plan would also make Louisiana’s tax structure more fair. But this fairness is tied to the changes proposed for the personal income tax, which have to pass both the Legislature and a vote of the people.