CPA’s Summit on the States Brings Flemming Fellows and Other State Legislators to Washington

Ten years ago state agendas were defined by what programs would be cut in order to meet the budgetary bottom line. Today, most states have the power and the resources to address constituent needs from job training to education reform and still have a `rainy day fund.’ Over 200 state legislators, state policy activists and labor leaders met at CPA’s Summit on the States in December to map out the opportunities and challenges for states as they enter a new legislative session with a $29.3 billion surplus.

While the U.S. economy currently enjoys unprecedented growth and the federal budget has posted a second consecutive year of surplus, there remains a tremendous gap between Americans prospering and those struggling to make ends meet.

"This doesn’t feel like an economic boom to people who have to work two or three jobs to pay the family’s bills," said CPA President and CEO Linda Tarr-Whelan at the Summit. The policy priorities states set and the course they take will define the social and political landscape and determine how the prosperity gap will be closed in the 21^st Century.

Funds available through budget surpluses, unspent federal funds, corporate tax abatements and tobacco settlements give states the capacity to create an infrastructure for sustainable economic growth for working families and communities in need.

"If we’re going to talk about a general tax cut, we need to talk about a tax cut plan that really puts monies in the pockets of those folks in the bottom scale and working class families who are struggling to get by," stressed Wisconsin state Rep. and CPA Board Member Antonio Riley (FF ’94).

State leadership must be proactive to create innovative strategies for economic development and move forward common policies supported by divergent groups, said Oklahoma state Rep. Laura Boyd (FF ’95). Boyd cited a perceived dichotomy between pro-business and pro-family policies that is counterproductive to both as an example of the wheel-spinning that prevents good work from being done at the state level.

"CPA builds a bridge towards what I’m trying to do in the labor movement," said Florida state Rep. and Secretary-Treasurer of the Florida AFL-CIO Tony Hill. "Once we get elected, then we say, `Now what do we do?’ CPA’s leadership training and its policy ideas help us frame our agenda. Building a partnership with people who are progressive and have innovative ideas complements what we do."

During a time of vocal calls for tax cuts from some, most Americans list social security, Medicare and public education at the top of the public agenda, noted Joe Goode, Vice President of the Democratic polling firm Lake Snell Perry & Associates. In particular, Americans see education as the "best defense against economic insecurity," said Goode — a statistic echoed in CPA’s Summit issue poll of state legislators (see related story on page 4).

Fully 20 percent of those polled listed social security reform as the one issue that Congress should give highest priority next year, noted Linda DiVall, President of American Viewpoint, a Republican polling organization. Education reform was second at 16 percent.

Legislators discussed new approaches and shared state strategies addressing federal unspent funds, economic security for families, affirmative action, public service privatization, education, utility restructuring, welfare reform, health care and community economic development that will define the social safety net into the coming years.