| Climate Change and Basic Income. The Sky Trust initiative is a proposal to use market-based incentives to efficiently reduce the U.S. economy?s massive output of greenhouse gases. All entities introducing fossil fuels into the U.S. economy would be required to obtain emission permits for the carbon in that fuel. The U.S. government would auction emission permits for 1.346 billion metric tons of carbon, the 1990 emission level. Initially 75% of the receipts from government sales of emission permits would be returned in equal annual payments to each U.S. legal resident. In the plan?s first year, 25 percent of proceeds from sale of permits would be made available to offset any unusual burdens imposed on either producers (firms or employees) or on consumers (such as people who must drive long distances)is published by the Centre for Economic Development. | By Centre for Economic Development , US . | Welfare and Social Security Policy Resource. |
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| EITC and Financial Exclusion.Alan Berube, Anne Kim, Benjamin Forman, and Megan Burns show how, on average, each low income worker receiving the EITC spends about $200 on commercial tax preparation and "rapid refund" loans. They estimate that nearly $2 billion in EITC refunds nationwide were diverted to pay for these services in 1999. "The Price of Paying Taxes: How Tax Preparation and Refund Loan Fees Erode the Benefits of the EITC" is published by the Alan Berube, Anne Kim, Benjamin Forman, and Megan Burns show how, on average, each low income worker receiving the EITC spends about $200 on commercial tax preparation and "rapid refund" loans. They estimate that nearly $2 billion in EITC refunds nationwide were diverted to pay for these services in 1999. "The Price of Paying Taxes: How Tax Preparation and Refund Loan Fees Erode the Benefits of the EITC"is published by the Progressive Policy Institute and the Brookings Institute. | By Progressive Policy Institute and the Brookings Institute , US . | Welfare and Social Security Policy Resource. |
| Rethinking Redistribution .A fascinating collection of essays examining the ideas of a basic income and a stakeholder grant. One of the reasons for putting forward these ideas is to remove barriers on personal freedom caused by lack of financial resources. Under stakeholder grant proposals people would be given, say, US$80,000 when they come of age while under basic income proposals a flat rate of income is provided to all - regardless of earnings or employment status is published by the Havens Center. | By Havens Center,US | Welfare and Social Security Policy Resource. |
| Welfare Reform .Welfare reform under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act is generally regarded as a great success. A closer review of the research, however, reveals that the celebration of welfare reform has been premature. While moderately successful in reducing the disincentive to leave welfare, welfare reform has been largely unsuccessful in moving long-term unemployed, difficult-to-place individuals off cash assistance. Overall, the new welfare law is a second-best solution to welfare dependence. Until policymakers take a preventive approach and make welfare no longer available to, or an attractive option for, women considering making untenable life choices, the US will continue to spend endless taxpayer dollars trying to clean up its dependence problem. "Four Years of Welfare Reform: A Progress Report", by Lisa Oliphant is published by the Cato Institute. | By Cato Institute,US. | Welfare and Social Security Policy Resource. |
| Audit of Wisconsin Works (W2) .The Legislative Audit Bureau of Wisconsin have issued this evaluation of the famous welfare to work scheme. They find that while employment has increased slightly, the jobs are often low paying. The numbers receiving assistance have decreased dramatically. The W2 scheme operates at a higher public cost than the previous AFDC programme. The report includes data on public expenditure and effect on outcomes (welfare caseloads, employment, and income of participants). is published by the Legislative Audit Bureau of Wisconsin. | By Legislative Audit Bureau of Wisconsin ,US. | Welfare and Social Security Policy Resource. |
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