Monthly Archives: July 2012

State government revenue capacity

Posted on July 18, 2012 by

The New York Times gave front-page coverage, on July 18, 2012, to a recent report by the State Budget Crisis Task Force. This report argued that states faced major long-term budget problems due to “rising health care costs, underfunded pensions, … Continue reading →

Posted in National vs. state vs. local

Federal versus state and local roles in children’s programs

Posted on July 17, 2012 by

I was recently asked to comment on a report by First Focus, which describes itself as “a bipartisan advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families a priority in federal policy and budget decisions”. This report, released on June 27, … Continue reading →

Posted in Early childhood programs, National vs. state vs. local | 1 Comment

Addressing the opportunity gap

Posted on July 10, 2012 by

In a New York Times column on July 10, 2012, David Brooks discusses some recent findings of Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam, who is best known for his work on social capital, most notably his book Bowling Alone.  Putnam’s recent … Continue reading →

Posted in Distribution of benefits, Early childhood programs

Politically-feasible policies to reduce poverty: the role of early childhood programs

Posted on July 9, 2012 by

A recent issue of The American Prospect has a special section focusing on poverty. This special section has numerous useful ideas for addressing poverty, such as expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, increasing customized job training programs, and expanding career … Continue reading →

Posted in Distribution of benefits, Early childhood programs