“Public Charge” Chill Continues Regardless of Injunction
FPI Finds Widespread Negative Effects of the Attempt to Rewrite Immigration Policy For Immediate Release: Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Media Contact: communications@fiscalpolicy.org, 518-786-3156 “Public Charge” Chill Continues Regardless of Injunction FPI Finds Widespread Negative Effects of the Attempt to Rewrite Immigration Policy Read the report: www.fiscalpolicy.org/publiccharge2019 (Albany, NY) The Trump administration continues to drastically remake US immigration policy through a radical reinterpretation of the “public charge” rule. In the Fiscal Policy Institute’s report released today - “Only Wealthy Immigrants Need Apply: The Chilling Effects of Public Charge” - FPI shares an updated analysis of the fiscal and [...]
Join Us for Tax Justice NY!
You are invited to FPI's new FREE event"Tax Justice NY: Moving from Austerity to Prosperity" in Albany on Monday, December 9th, from 11:30 am - 2:30 pm in Meeting Room 5, Empire State Plaza. Our state’s tax policy is a tool we can all use to eliminate existing racial, ethnic, and gender inequities and increase economic equality for all New Yorkers. We are excited to partner with state and national advocacy organizations to bring these informative and energizing panel discussions to Albany in preparation for the 2020 state legislative session. 11:30 am - 11:55 am "Surveying the 2020 Landscape" New York State needs to commit to ensuring that its residents have [...]
Our Federal Tax Policy Can Strengthen NYS Communities
We can use federal tax policy to help struggling New Yorkers and support local communities with the Working Families Tax Relief Act (WFTRA). More than 6.5 million New York State residents would directly benefit from WFTRA's tax credits and tax reductions to boost incomes - especially helpful as most workers have seen their wages stagnate. WFTRA would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for families with children and strengthen it for workers not raising children. The legislation would also make the Child Tax Credit (CTC) refundable, allowing children in families with lower incomes to fully benefit from the program. FPI [...]
There Are About 11 Million Undocumented Immigrants in the U.S., Not Twice As Many
On July 11, 2019, the Trump Administration released an executive order that requires the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services to collect citizenship data using administrative records for the federal administration to determine the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States. This executive order was in response to the federal administration’s failed attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census that was blocked by the Supreme Court. In order to justify the executive order, the Trump Administration cited a 2018 study from three [...]
Slashing Resettlement Will Hurt Refugees and Hurt New York
Slashing Resettlement Will Hurt Refugees and Hurt New York July, 26, 2019. In 2019, President Trump capped the refugee resettlement program at just 30,000 entries, the lowest it has been since the beginning of the modern refugee resettlement program. If recent news reports are right, the Trump administration is now discussing reducing the cap even further, possibly as far as zero. Refugee resettlement is a humanitarian commitment: refugees are resettled in the United States from some of the most horrific circumstances around the world and allowed the chance to make a new home in this country. But, resettlement is also [...]
Legislators & Advocates Call for Working Family Tax Credits to Fight Childhood Poverty
On many levels, New York is an affluent state with high median incomes, quality schools, and prosperous corporations, but as the United Way reports, 45 percent of households in NYS cannot afford basic necessities. As evidenced by the United Way of New York’s comprehensive, data-driven ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report, relying on the federal poverty guidelines is a poor measure – it is clear that while struggling working families may be above the poverty line, they are far from secure. On May 30th, advocates from the United Way, Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, and The Children's Agenda, [...]
Press Release: Legislators, Fiscal Watchdog, Children and Social Justice Advocates and Faith Leaders Urge NY to Take Real Steps To Address Child Poverty and Provide Tax Relief to Low Income Families by Strengthening NY’s EITC and Child Tax Credit
For Immediate Release: March 11, 2019 Media Contact: communications@fiscalpolicy.org, 518-786-3156 Legislators, Fiscal Watchdog, Children and Social Justice Advocates and Faith Leaders Urge NY to Take Real Steps To Address Child Poverty and Provide Tax Relief to Low Income Families by Strengthening NY’s EITC and Child Tax Credit Albany, NY. Lawmakers and advocates urge New York to act this year to address our child poverty epidemic. More than one in five NY children live in poverty; with that rate rising to nearly one in three among children of color. This means about 803,000 NY children live in homes where food and [...]
Reworking New York State’s Family Tax Credits
March 8, 2019. The human costs of child poverty are staggering. Experiencing poverty as a child – even for short stints – can impair brain development, physical and mental health, and academic achievement, and increase the possibility of child welfare involvement. And the impacts can last a lifetime. Childhood poverty is the single best predictor of adult poverty. Child poverty also imposes extraordinary economic costs to the state. A report just issued by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine estimates that child poverty costs the nation $800 billion to $1.1 trillion annually in reduced adult productivity, increased costs of crime, and [...]
$4.5 Million for a Unique NYS Program Would Help Refugees and Grow Communities
February 22, 2019. The New York State Enhanced Services to Refugees Program began in 2017, as a remarkable response to the federal government’s radical retreat from refugee resettlement. New York took on what no other state did: it helped resettlement agencies to get through a difficult period, and also to rethink their role in their communities. The first two years of funding were $2 million; this year the Fiscal Policy Institute, the resettlement agencies, and the New York Immigration Coalition are requesting $4.5 million. The program, known as NYSESRP, has been a huge success, and is a beacon for other states around [...]
Media Roundup: Patriotic Millionaires and Advocates Call Upon State to Raise Revenues from the Wealthy to Support Critical Services
January 14, 2019. On February 12th, 2019, the Patriotic Millionaires joined several organizations from across the state, including the Fiscal Policy Institute, outside the Joint Legislative Hearing on Taxes in in the Legislative Office Building in Albany to urge New York's elected officials to raise additional revenues by asking the wealthiest New Yorkers to pay a little more. The press event was featured in several media outlets, which are listed below. New York Nonprofit Media: Several nonprofits appeared at the state Capitol Feb. 12 to advocate for higher taxes on the wealthy to fund social services. This included a press conference outside of a [...]
Driving Together: Benefits of Allowing All New Yorkers to Apply for Licenses
February 15, 2019. Suddenly, with a new legislature in office, New York is poised to join 12 other states plus Puerto Rico and D.C. and allow undocumented immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses.A report by the Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) estimates that 265,000 undocumented immigrants statewide would obtain driver’s licenses, including 64,000 north of New York City and 51,000 on Long Island. FPI also estimates that $57 million in annual revenue and $26 million in one-time revenue would be generated from the purchase of driver’s licenses, new cars, registrations, and sales and gas taxes. According to FPI’s report, revenues from [...]
New York’s Pathway to Shared Prosperity: Economic and Fiscal Outlook for FY 2020
February 12th, 2019. The Fiscal Policy Institute released its 29th annual New York State budget briefing book, New York's Pathway to Shared Prosperity: Economic and Fiscal Outlook for FY 2020. FPI's budget briefing book analyzes the Governor's FY 2020 Executive Budget and makes policy recommendations that would benefit all New Yorkers in the areas of taxes, human services, immigration, education, and more. You can find the sections of the report below: Policy Recommendations Financial Plan and Income Inequality Local Government Economic Development Human Services, Housing and Health Immigration Education All Sections If you have any questions or concerns [...]
Automatic Voter Registration: Good for Democracy and Sound Fiscal Sense
February 11, 2019. New York is in many ways thought of as a progressive state, but in terms of the basic democratic function of voting we are far behind most of the country. In voter registration, for instance, New York ranks 46th out of 50 states in share of citizens over 18 years old who are registered to vote. Automatic Voter Registration is a solution being currently considered that would leave far fewer people behind. As with any new proposal, it is worth examining the potential fiscal impacts. The Fiscal Policy Institute concludes in an analysis released today that the [...]
Press Release: Statewide Coalition Urges State Leaders to Adopt New Hope Budget for All of New York
For Immediate Release: December 18, 2018 Media Contacts: Peter Cook, Executive Director, New York State Council of Churches - 508.380.8289 Ron Deutsch, Executive Director, FPI - 518.469.6769 Michael Kink, Executive Director, Strong Economy for All Coalition 518.527.2787 Statewide Coalition Urges State Leaders to Adopt New Hope Budget for All of New York The New Hope Budget Albany, NY – Representatives from organizations across the state unveiled a set of principles which address the cries of far too many New Yorkers who have been left behind in this economic recovery. The Coalition urged elected officials from every part of the state—rural, suburban, [...]
Webinar: What New York’s Community Organizations Need To Know About Public Charge
Join FPI For A Webinar On: What New York's Community Organizations Need To Know About Public Charge Last month, the Department of Homeland Security publicized a proposed Public Charge rule that would punish immigrants going through official immigration processes and their families for applying for or receiving government benefits for which they are legally eligible. This would take away vital government assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, and housing assistance from low-income immigrant families, including U.S. citizen children. Denying access to basic needs programs will decimate their health and well-being. Once the proposed rule change is published, there will be [...]
Every New Yorker Counts
November 2, 2018. On Monday the Fiscal Policy Institute joined members of the New York Counts 2020 coalition in front of Federal Hall to call on the governor and the state legislators to include $40 million in the state budget to fund community-based organizations working on maximizing participation in the 2020 census. Congressmember Jerry Nadler spoke powerfully about the reasons this census count will be especially challenging, with a federal government creating barriers to participation. Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, spoke about the vital importance of an accurate count to businesses and to [...]
Squeezing Refugees: Numbers for 2018 by State and Metro Area
November 2, 2018. Earlier this year, the Pew Research Center published a report showing that refugee resettlement was scaled back in the United States more dramatically in the United States than in any other country. In 2018, however, the refugee resettlement numbers have dropped even more dramatically. With data through the end of October already available, we can calculate pretty reasonably what the full year will look by extrapolating from the first 10 months of the year. For comparison, below are the number of refugees resettled in the United States and in each state (plus Puerto Rico and Washington, DC) [...]
Hispanic Representation in NY: Closing the Gap…Slowly
November 1, 2018. The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, NALEO, keeps track of how many Hispanics serve in different government offices around the country. In New York, the numbers have been rising, but rising very slowly, over the past two decades. Over 20 year ago, in 1996, two of the 33 United States representatives New York sent to Washington were Hispanic, both serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2018, the total number of representatives was down to 29, due to reapportionment, and of those three were Hispanic. That’s an increase from six percent to 10 [...]
Census 2020: NYS Should Invest $40 Million to Fund Community Outreach
October 30, 2018. In a new report, the Fiscal Policy Insititute details the resources community-based groups will require to maximize participation in the 2020 Census among “hard to count” residents across New York State. FPI proposes that the governor and legislature include $40 million in next year’s state budget for community-based organizations to do outreach around the 2020 Census. FPI notes that this should be in addition to whatever funds the state commits to its own outreach and media campaigns and funding to local governments. The study was first unveiled at a press conference Monday with the New York Counts 2020 Coalition. [...]
FPI Estimates Human & Economic Impacts of Public Charge Rule: 24 Million Would Experience Chilling Effects
October 10, 2018. Today, the Trump Administration published its proposed reinterpretation of a previously arcane rule, known as “public charge.” The new interpretation would radically restrict access to green cards and various types of visas for immigrants who do not have a high enough income, or who have used public health, food, or housing supports they are otherwise qualified to receive. Without input from Congress, the Trump Rule would fundamentally change this country’s approach to immigration, making income and use of public supports central considerations in whether or not to offer people an opportunity to make their lives in this [...]
Anchor Institutions: Refugee Resettlement Agencies
September 11, 2018. The Trump administration’s decision to decrease the number of refugees admitted and in general slow down the refugee resettlement process means that only a trickle of refugees are coming into the United States. As FPI noted in our recent reporton refugee employment, the United States is on track to resettle just 20,000 refugees in 2018, down from 97,000 in 2016. This is a tragedy for refugees, who languish in resettlement camps or live in horrific danger. For the United States, it is also a strain on communities around the country, nowhere more so than in upstate New York. [...]