All across the country, lawmakers are faced with grim state budget shortfalls that will mean devastating cuts to the social safety net. As a result of the national recession, Washington state faces one of the worst economic downturns in over 80 years. In the past two years lawmakers have balanced the state budget by cuttingContinue reading “Washington CAN! Leads 800 People in Demanding an Equitable State Budget”
Category Archives: economic justice
Idaho Community Action Network Calls for a Fair and Equitable State Budget
State legislatures are now in session. Lawmakers in nearly every state, including Idaho, are faced with budget shortfalls that will mean devastating cuts to the social safety net: health care, education, and services for immigrants. In response to this crisis, Idaho Community Action Network, an Alliance for a Just Society affiliate, kicked off a seasonContinue reading “Idaho Community Action Network Calls for a Fair and Equitable State Budget”
Oregon Small Business Owners Show Support for State Bank
This post was written by Dan Lombardi, small business organizer for the Main Street Alliance of Oregon. On Wednesday, January 12, the Main Street Alliance of Oregon held a press conference in the state capitol of Salem to announce the release of a report: Direct from Main Street: Oregon Small Business Views on Credit andContinue reading “Oregon Small Business Owners Show Support for State Bank”
Direct from Main Street: Oregon Small Business Views on Credit and Lending
This report shares the findings of a survey of Oregon small businesses, focusing on their experiences with credit and their reactions to one current proposal to support small business and economic growth: the creation of a state bank. This report contributes to the discussion of such a proposal by sharing the perspectives of Oregon’s MainContinue reading “Direct from Main Street: Oregon Small Business Views on Credit and Lending”
Leader of 50 State Foreclosure Probe Tells Struggling Homeowners: “We Will Put People in Jail”
Iowa’s Attorney General Miller also agreed that principal reductions, loan modifications, and compensation for defrauded homeowners are all on his agenda The lead Attorney General in the 50-state foreclosure investigation, Iowa’s Tom Miller, told homeowners at risk of foreclosure today that he supports a settlement with the big banks that requires significant principal rate reductions,Continue reading “Leader of 50 State Foreclosure Probe Tells Struggling Homeowners: “We Will Put People in Jail””
Living wage jobs are scarce in Northwest and Colorado
The recently released 2010 Northwest Job Gap Study, Searching for Work that Pays looks at living wages in each county in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. The study also compares the number of job openings paying a living wage to the number of job seekers in each state. The key findings are disturbing: 48%Continue reading “Living wage jobs are scarce in Northwest and Colorado”
Searching for Work that Pays: 2010 Job Gap Study
The 2010 Job Gap Study looks at the availability of living wage jobs in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. This report provides calculations of: A living wage for all counties in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington; The percent of job openings that pay a living wage in each of these states; and TheContinue reading “Searching for Work that Pays: 2010 Job Gap Study”
Race Matters: Living Wage Jobs in the Current Economy
It’s always been tough for working families in the Northwest to make ends meet. The recession has made it even harder – and harder still for people of color, who have historically faced racial inequities in the job market. The economic crisis has only worsened these disparities in employment, wages, and income. Race Matters shinesContinue reading “Race Matters: Living Wage Jobs in the Current Economy”
Oregon Small Business Leader Joins Sen. Jeff Merkley to Call For End to High-Income Tax Cuts
As reported on the blog of the Main Street Alliance, NWFCO’s national coalition of small business owners, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley hosted a press conference call with state and national small business leaders on Wednesday, November 17. The purpose was to discuss the small business case for ending the Bush tax cuts for the topContinue reading “Oregon Small Business Leader Joins Sen. Jeff Merkley to Call For End to High-Income Tax Cuts”
ICAN Demands Wells Fargo Change Overdraft System & Payday Lending Practices
On Tuesday, October 26th, members of the Idaho Community Action Network gathered outside of the Wells Fargo bank in Pocatello, Idaho to demand changes to the bank’s excessive overdraft system. Many Idahoans have experienced the pains of the economic recession and are in a state of discontent with Wells Fargo’s failure to address the financialContinue reading “ICAN Demands Wells Fargo Change Overdraft System & Payday Lending Practices”