Archive 2008
All documents are in downloadable PDF format
A Standard of Need (Rhode Island Policy Reporter 12.27.08)
A more realistic measure is provided by The Poverty Institute, who has for several years compiled a state "standard of need." Essentially they have redone Orshansky's work, but using more realistic assumptions, and incorporating into the standard the various programs -- Medicaid, food stamps, and child care subsidies -- available to people who are poor.
Medicaid pact heads to assembly (Providence Journal 12.23.08)
“In these volatile economic times, trying to predict what the cost of health-care coverage will be for the hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders who rely on Medicaid for their services or for long-term care is a really risky proposition,” said Linda Katz, policy director for Rhode Island’s Poverty Institute.
Study finds gap between earnings, expenses in RI (WRNI AM/FM 12.17.08)
The Poverty Institute releases its 2008 Rhode Island Standard of Need report today. According to the study, a single parent raising two children on an annual income of $32,560 will need an extra $1,100 each month.
Many find it harder to make ends meet (Providence Journal 12.17.08)
Brewster added, “Our hope is that what is left of the work support programs is maintained in the coming legislative session. I think this study provides evidence that the budget cuts of the last two years have had a profound impact on families’ ability to make ends meet, and these families can’t withstand any further pressure.”
Budget gap widens for R.I. families (Providence Business News 12.17.08)
“The shrinking safety net has caused the basic needs budgets for low- and modest-income families to go from black to red,” said executive director Kate Brewster.
What is the Rhode Island Standard of Need? (Rifuture.org blog) includes video interview with executive director Kate Brewster
PRESS RELEASE: Rhode Island Standard of Need: Study shows price tag of living in Ocean State; finds more families hurt by shrinking safety net (12.17.08)
• Full Report
• Executive Summary
• Chart: Yearly costs compared to federal poverty level
• Chart: The costs of meeting basic needs for families and individuals
• Chart: Subsidies help families with lower wages make ends meet
Carcieri: Eliminating 'death tax' would boost R.I. population (Providence Journal 12.9.08)
The (Estate) tax "is the most fair tax that we have and must be preserved to maintain a balanced tax structure that requires those with the greatest ability to contribute their share towards public services and infrastructure." (Kate Brewster, executive director of The Poverty Institute)
Reasonable Revenue Solutions (Providence Journal Op-Ed by Kate Brewster 12.6.08)
"There are several reasonable steps policymakers could take to improve both the fiscal health of our state and generate adequate revenues to fund the services and infrastructure that will make the Ocean State a first-class place to live and do business."
Medicaid Waiver May Fall Short (Providence Business News 12.2.08)
Linda Katz, co-founder and policy director of the Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College, said the risk that programs will have to be cut goes against the traditional purpose of seeking a Medicaid waiver, which is to expand coverage.
PRESS RELEASE: Local and National groups say estate tax must be preserved if tax system is to remain fair (12.08)
Click here to read the full report
Hispanic workers seen as hard hit by downturn (Providence Journal 11.16.08)
Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, cited by the Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College, put the Hispanic population of Rhode Island at 115,668, or 11 percent of the population. The poverty rate for Hispanics in Rhode Island was 30.5 percent in 2007, compared with 12 percent for all Rhode Islanders. Median income for Hispanic households was $33,817, compared with $53,568 for all Rhode Island households
Experts say R.I.economic outlook grim (Providence Journal 10.28.08)
"Whatever the revenues turn out to be, the budget pressure will be immense," said Russel Dannecker...
Economists: No end in sight for R.I.'s fiscal woes (Pro Jo Blog 10.27.08)
Tax Deals Saved Companies $54.1 million (Providence Journal 9.11.08)
Russell Dannecker, fiscal policy analyst at The Poverty Institute, said the report "provides transparency to a portion of our tax expenditures that wasn't open in the past."
Poverty Statistics Don't Tell Full Story (Providence Journal 8.27.08)
“The poverty level is not a good measure to gauge how we live,” [Rachel Flum, policy associate at The Poverty Institute] said. “We really are concerned that this doesn’t give a very good view of the real cost of living in Rhode Island.”
PRESS RELEASE: Twelve percent of Rhode Islanders are living below poverty level
Data released from the U.S. Census Bureau on August 26th reveal that the poverty rate remained statistically unchanged in Rhode Island from 2006 to 2007. However, these numbers do not accurately reflect the financial crisis that many Rhode Islanders are facing, according to the Poverty Institute.
• RI Statewide Poverty Data • RI Poverty Data by County • New England Comparison •
• RI Poverty Data by Demographic •
Motion Picture Tax Credit Discussed (WPRO 630 8.13.08)
Kate Brewster speaks with Buddy Cianci on WPRO 630 regarding the motion picture tax credit program, and discusses the Department of Revenue's new analysis of the program.
Review for state's film tax credits isn't good (Providence Journal 8.12.08)
Kate Brewster said...“In these extraordinary tough fiscal times, limited state resources should be invested in proven economic development strategies like work force training.”
RI companies held accountable for tax breaks (Providence Journal 8.1.08)
Kate Brewster, executive director of The Poverty Institute...called the new law "a tremendous victory for state taxpayers...This 'prove it or lose it' test will allow lawmakers, at long last, to evaluate economic development incentives and eliminate those that are ineffective."
RI releases $12.4B plan to cap Medicaid spending (Forbes.com 7.30.08)
Linda Katz, policy director of The Poverty Institute, questioned whether Carcieri can implement the plan before October...she said the plan lacked detail on how health officials plan to steer elderly patients into cheaper and less restrictive settings. (AP story, also featured on MSN.com, CNBC.com, The Boston Globe, and International Business Times)
Mixed Reviews: A state budget for desperate times (The Providence Phoenix 6.25.08)
"It's truly shocking that a major overhaul of the welfare program would be made through the budget process - and not through an evidence-based approach of determining how to best move parents into sustainable employment," said Kate Brewster, Executive Director of The Poverty Institute. "These were changes based on ideology, and were not even necessary to balance the budget."
New RI budget depends on uncertain Medicaid plan (Boston Globe 6.20.08)
"What would happen to the people who are no longer entitled if the state doesn't have the money" said Linda Katz, Policy Director in response to the proposed Medicaid global waiver.
House passes $6.89 billion state budget (Providence Journal 6.19.08)
In response to the sweeping changes made to the state's welfare program, Linda Katz, policy director for Rhode Island’s Poverty Institute, said it was “disheartening” that lawmakers adopted the major changes “so radically with so little discussion.”
Middle-class concerned about closing the deficit (Providence Journal 5.11.08)
“We’re not going to be able to cut spending by 12 percent in the state without severe impact on the economy,” said Ellen Frank, the chief economist for the Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College. “We realize that there are going to be a lot of cuts made, but hope that lawmakers over the next six weeks will see that there are things we can afford to cut, and things we cannot afford to cut.”
Social service providers talk hard economy (Westerly Sun 4.25.08)
Linda Katz, Director of Policy at the Poverty Institute, says of the proposed state budget cuts..."You can probably talk to one of your neighbors and figure out that....one of these issues impacts them"
Basic needs group talks state budget; advocates public action (Westerly Sun 4.23.08)
Heidi Collins, Director of Public Education at the Poverty Institute, says..."this is a way to discuss the budget breakdown at the local level and help people to have a voice in the process".
Wealthy doing great in RI (Providence Journal 4.16.08)
Ellen Frank, Senior Economist at the Poverty Institute, provides factual information about the growth in incomes of RI's highest earners.
Press Release: Gap between richest and poorest grows signficantly (4.9.08)
Rhode Island ranks second in the nation for the growth in inequality between the top and bottom fifths, according to this study documenting the growth in income inequality over the past two decades. The study was released by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute.
Gap widens between rich and poor in R.I., Conn. (Westerly Sun 4.9.08)
Ellen Frank, an economist at The Poverty Institute, pointed to the growth in the ratio between the average income of the top and bottom fifth of Rhode Island residents as the most “startling” finding in the study, “Pulling Apart.” Over the past two decades, the gap has grown faster in Rhode Island than all states but Connecticut.
State can't be complacent on poverty (Newport Daily News 4.9.08)
“Cutting income-support programs like RIte Care and cash assistance for low-income families will only further exacerbate growing inequality in the Ocean State,” Frank said.
Study finds gap growing in RI between haves and have nots (Providence Journal 4.9.08)
"Given the state’s economic and budget crisis, there is tremendous need to pay attention to this report," according to Ellen Frank.
Advocates for children raise alarm (Providence Journal 4.7.08)
“These changes will impact the state’s most vulnerable children,” Katz said. “This will end the child entitlement to the safety-net payments of $6 per child per day, and limit family eligibility for cash assistance to 24 months in a lifetime.”
One RI tries to stop budget cuts (Pawtucket Times 3.26.08)
One Rhode Island’s Heidi Collins urged the members of various groups within the coalition to phone and e-mail their legislators, as well as key members of the General Assembly leadership to advocate for the group’s agenda in the coming weeks while key budget decisions are being made.
Medicaid changes and cuts cause for concern (Providence Journal 3.26.08)
Story highlights the concerns about the Governor's proposed Medicaid cuts and efforts by the Poverty Institute and several coalitions to educate the public about their consequences.
The cupboard is getting bare (Providence Journal 3.14.08)
During a meeting of local advocates and service providers discussing proposed budget cuts, Linda Katz, Policy Director, said "I think we are fighting for the soul of our state."
TV, film people make their pitch to lawmakers (Providence Journal 3.14.08)
Said Ellen Frank, Senior Economist at the Poverty Institute, “We’re talking about cutting $11 million out of RIte Care at a time when the film office is spending considerably more than that,” she said. “We’re glad that Senator Alves is bringing balance to the budget by trying to make these programs more affordable.”
Advocates for poor blast children (Pawtucket Times 3.11.08)
"This (budget) article is ideologically driven. It is not driven by research and it is not driven by best practices in other states. This bill is just outrageous. It is anti-family and anti-children,” said Linda Katz, Poverty Institute.
Goverrnor's plan would limit welfare to two years (Providence Journal 3.11.08)
Linda Katz, policy director for the Poverty Institute said of the Governor's proposal to cut welfare, “This proposal is just outrageous...The way to help build more taxpayers out of the people who are on FIP is to give them the opportunities to build the skills they need to get stable jobs.”
Tax credits raise concern (Providence Journal 3.6.08)
Ellen Frank, chief economist for the Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College, commended the lawmakers in both chambers for introducing bills aimed at producing “something we have been pushing for a while. … a [tax-expenditure] budget that tells us what we are spending, where we are spending it and what we are getting in return.”
* Hollywood is here, but is price too high for state? (Providence Journal 3.2.08)
Ellen Frank, Senior Economist at the Poverty Institute, offers commentary about the state's motion picture tax credit program. According to Frank, for the state to consider cutting RIte Care and other programs "and at the same time expending funds on unproven programs that were presumably passed to promote economic growth with no evidence that they are doing that is, in our view, irresponsible.”
* Proposal expands "emergency powers" (Providence Journal 2.22.08)
In response to a proposal to change the law that requires public notification of rule changes to public programs, Linda Katz, Policy Director at the Poverty Institute says, “This is the first time I’ve ever seen an amendment to the entire APA to say there’s a blanket exemption to be able to do emergency rulemaking. And this proposal is so vague that it’s hard to know what it’s going to apply to.”
* Governor says plan would save $67M (Newport Daily News 1.31.08)
Today the state pays out about $16 million in welfare assistance, or about one half of 1 percent of the total state budget. (This is down from $58 million, or 3.4 percent in 1996).
* RI officials bedeviled by budget details (Providence Journal 1.27.08)
“Welfare is the most commonly used weapon in class warfare. People don’t understand the facts, such as that we spend less than one half of 1 percent of state funds on cash assistance and that those families who remain on the program have significant barriers to employment, including disabilities and very limited skills,” said Kate Brewster, executive director of the Poverty Institute
* Governor promises no tax hike (Providence Journal 1.23.08)
“We need new strategies to get the lowest skilled parents off welfare and into jobs with a future. But, she said: “making cash assistance contingent on finding a job in a recession economy with high unemployment makes no sense.” (Kate Brewster, director of the Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College)
Punching in and punching out...twice (Providence Journal 1.22.08)
Linda Katz said the multiple job holding rate in Rhode Island is an indication that there are not enough jobs that pay well enough to support a family, so that people have to take on extra work just to get by. The problem is particularly acute for people with low skill levels...
Idea of State Internet Ad Draws Fire (Providence Journal 1.20.08)
According to Linda Katz, posting rule changing notices on the internet requires a massive investment from the secretary of state’s office of setting up a Web site that clearly lists proposed rule-making in a timely manner. I think that’s no small feat.”
* Carcieri looks to eliminate $151 million-budget deficit (Providence Journal 1.18.08)
"As talk of a recession looms large, there couldn't be a worse time to take away health insurance from low-income working parents..." said Kate Brewster, Executive Director.
Creative Accounting (RI Monthly January 2008)
“We have requested that the administration sit down to craft a thoughtful plan to make FIP a better workforce plan,” says Kate Brewster of the Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College. “That request was denied. We hope their solution is not to make the program more challenging for families who desperately need it.”
Author calls tax breaks a raw deal for the state (Pawtucket Times 1.12.08)
According to Greg LeRoy, author of "The Great American Jobs Scam: Corporate Tax Dodging and the Myth of Job Creation", often times States are spending money (by offering tax breaks and incentives to lure corporations) when in fact the decsion to do business in the area has already been made.
Are corporate tax incentives a waste? Experts say they might not pay off (Newport Daily News 1.11.08)
Read about a presentation given by Greg LeRoy, Director of Good Jobs First, who spoke at the Poverty Institute's budget conference last week. LeRoy and Ellen Frank, Senior Economist at the Poverty Institute, argue that the state needs to do a much better job at measuring the outcomes and cost of tax breaks and incentives given for economic development purposes.
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