Work and Family in the New Economy

CPA Rolls Out Innovative Policy Solutions for Working Families at San Francisco Conference

It isn’t news to state leaders that the real action on welfare and health care reform, work supports and taxes is happening in Denver, Sacramento, Salem, Atlanta, Jefferson City and all the other state capitals – not in Washington, D.C. States have resources like never before to help working families: TANF funds, tobacco settlement monies and increased tax revenues from the good economy. While the federal government is gridlocked on many of the issues that benefit working families, there is no lack of ideas and energy in the states.

To harness this energy, CPA convened a two-day conference in October in San Francisco that brought together over 80 legislators, grassroots leaders, policy researchers and advocates to talk about moving forward a “family investment” agenda. Conference attendees focused on building majority support for a series of policies that use innovative income enhancements, tax strategies (such as Earned Income Tax Credits), work and family supports (e.g., child care and family leave benefits) to help poor and working families achieve economic security.

CPA’s new Work and Family Investment Initiative builds on the work of previous CPA gatherings, including two sessions of the Western Policy Leaders Forum in June and August 1999 where bi-partisan elected leaders and activists from the region decided that they wanted to focus their efforts on comprehensive family support policies.

The timing for moving a family investment strategy forward in the states couldn’t be better: most states have budget surpluses as well as unspent federal monies from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program that provides much flexibility in program design to help low-income and working families. Some policymakers propose to use these surpluses for tax cuts, others propose programs to continue an economic boom. Family investment initiatives are not yet on the front burner despite broad support for policies that strengthen working families.

CPA believes we need a fresh approach and dialogue to move this agenda forward. In 61 percent of American families, both adults work and in 71 percent of families with children, both parents work. Yet millions of Americans are not able to meet the basic needs for themselves and their families. Simply having a job is not enough to ensure that basic family needs for caring and economic security are met. That means we need community solutions for families and the economy to thrive. States have the opportunity to develop strategies that invest in families as an integral part of their economic development policies.

Participants at the conference discussed four areas where some states have taken the initiative to design programs or policies that are successfully meeting the needs of vulnerable families:

” Balancing work and family by expanding coverage and resources available for Family Leave Benefits. More information on Family Leave Benefits.

” Rewarding work through use of state Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC). More information on state EITCs.

” Opportunities for use of TANF funds. More Information on TANF Funds.

” Public Private Partnerships – North Carolina’s Smart Start and other initiatives to address child care needs. More information on Public-Private partnerships to improve Child Care.

Work and Family Investment Goals

– Set out a new investment-oriented framework to directly meet the concerns of working families and create the infrastructure we need for continued economic prosperity; – Provide policymakers and advocates with the tools they need – ideas, resources, model programs and legislation; – Create partnerships with policy experts to make sure their research and data inform the political process; and – Develop strategies and messages that can spark dialogue and seek new solutions to difficult and complex problems.

CPA Welcomes Helen Gonzales to Lead Work and Family Investment Program Helen Gonzales brings over 20 years of policy and organizing experience to CPA. She served as a staff attorney in the California legislature and for a Congressional Committee. Helen has worked on civil rights issues with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, on energy and utility problems faced by low-income families at the National Consumer Law Center and on long-term health care issues while at the Alzheimer’s Association. Developing strategies to influence legislative actions, build coalitions and strengthen advocacy skills of state and local groups have been integral to Helen’s work. A native San Franciscan, Helen received her JD from Boalt Hall Law School at the University of California in Berkeley.