ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

Many Texans are poor, not because they don't work, but because their work pays too little to raise a family out of poverty. To ensure economic prosperity, Texas public policy must support work, make work pay, and help families build their assets. The most important thing the state can do to enhance economic opportunity is to invest in public educationā€”from early childhood education all the way through higher education.

Recent Economic Opportunity Publications

Texas: One and Indivisible (12/1/2003)

Testimony on school finance.

Why You Should Care Now About a Special Session on School Finance (09/18/2003)

Any meaningful school finance reform unavoidably involves tax reform. The tax system established in a special session could determine the size of state budgets for the next ten years or more.

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Proposes Rules to Terminate Medicaid in Situations Not Allowed by Federal Law (09/12/2003)

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is proposing a rule that would have the effect of denying Medicaid to extremely poor parents on cash assistance who fail to do things such as meet health check up schedules for their kids or keep their teenagers in school.

Texas at Work: Today and Tomorrow (09/1/2003)

This report examines the living conditions and public policies affecting hard working but low-income workers.

Judging Public School Finance Proposals (05/19/2003)

I am Scott McCown, Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities. Thank you for inviting me to talk with you today about how we should fund our public schools.

The Texas Early Care and Education Crunch: Senate Bills 75 and 76 Help All Texans Access Child Care (05/13/2003)

Millions of Texas families have a hard time finding and paying for good child care. Two bills still pending before the Texas Legislature will help Texas parents go to work and help Texas children get ready for school. Senate Bill 75 will encourage the use of state and federal tax incentives for employers and workers. Senate Bill 76 will help Texas better coordinate its scarce early care and education resources and ensure that the state can provide more families with good early care and education.

Testimony on Dewhurst School Finance Plan: SB 2 (05/2/2003)

I am Scott McCown, Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities. Thank you for inviting my testimony today. I applaud Lt. Governor Dewhurst, Senator Shapiro, and the Senate for proposing a specific school finance plan.

HB 804: The "Hard Work Equals Poverty" Bill (04/17/2003)

Texans deserve a decent paycheck for a hard day's work. HB 804 is bad for working families and bad for Texas.

Unemployment Insurance Legislation a Step in the Right Direction for Working Texans (02/24/2003)

Three bills under consideration by the 78th Texas Legislature seek to improve the Texas unemployment insurance (UI) system. They do so by ensuring equal access to unemployment insurance for victims of domestic violence and by modernizing how unemployment benefits are calculated to reflect workers' most recent employment history.

Workforce Development: The Key to Creating Opportunity and Building Prosperity in Texas (01/1/2003)

The Texas State Data Center forecasts that the future labor force of Texas will be less well educated, less skilled, earn lower salaries and wages, and thus be in greater need of labor force training.

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