Publications

Connecticut Voices for Children today released a report entitled, “Steps To A Fairer Tax System: Proposals for Tax Reform, Transparency, and Timely Support,” which outlines a proposal for a fairer tax system that would put more money in the pockets of working- and middle-class families, especially families of color. Although Connecticut has the second highest level of per capita personal income in the U.S., making it exceptionally wealthy overall, many families consistently struggle because Connecticut also has the second highest level of income inequality and a substantial racial income gap. This report is accompanied by the typical Just Facts and Executive Summary, a document we pair with lengthy reports. Additionally, due to the density of the report, we’re including five Just Facts for each of the report’s sections.

Connecticut Voices for Children released a report, “Reimagining Connecticut’s Special Education Systems for a Post-Pandemic Future,” which examines Connecticut’s special education systems and discovered Connecticut’s methods of funding and delivering special education services are insufficient, ineffective, and inequitable. Additionally, the report explores the loss of learning experienced by special education students due to the COVID-19 pandemic and outlines policies that will help build a more adequate, effective, and equitable education system.

Connecticut Voices for Children released a new report, “The State of Working Connecticut,” which highlights the depth and scope of the state’s economic problems and outlines the need for progressive budget reform. The combination of a shrunken economy with a highly inequitable distribution has weakened both the state’s fiscal standing and the standard of living for most families, and Connecticut’s economy is on track to grow slower than the U.S. economy during recovery from the recent recession if the state doesn’t act to ensure this doesn’t happen.

The Connecticut General Assembly passed an historic budget and accompanying policies this legislative session.  While we are disappointed that fair revenue measures to correct our regressive tax system were not passed, we celebrate the increase of the state EITC to 30.5%, inclusive state CTC language should Congress not enact a permanent expansion, and a plethora of policies that advance economic justice.  As is our custom, we’ve laid out our take in our “2021 Legislative Session in Review.“

Connecticut Voices for Children released a report, “More Than a Health Crisis: Long-Term Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Connecticut Youth and Families,” which analyzes the impact of the pandemic on employment, basic needs, and education and outlines the necessity of prioritizing the safety and stability of Connecticut’s youth and families in the state’s recovery planning to avoid long-term economic harm. In order to understand the severity of the pandemic-induced recession on Connecticut’s youth and families, the report examines data collected between August 19, 2020 and March 1, 2021 from the U.S. Census Bureau’s weekly Household Pulse Surveys and compares the data against national trends. The report enumerates six overarching recommendations.

Connecticut Voices for Children released a report that analyzes where increases in minimum wage may have unanticipated effects on some families’ receipt of benefits and hinder families with children from gaining economic mobility, despite increases in their income. The report entitled, “Impact of Connecticut’s Minimum Wage Increase on Access to Benefits for Working Families” outlines 10 policy solutions to mitigate the impacts of benefits cliffs—when a small wage increase leads to a significant reduction in public benefits. Benefits cliffs inadvertently worsen a family’s economic security, stifle economic growth by keeping individuals from participating in the workforce, and disproportionately impact women and people of color.

Connecticut Voices for Children released a report entitled, “Advancing Economic Justice Through Tax Reform,” which proposes a tax restructure so that the system is fair for all residents. The report provides an overview of economic injustice in Connecticut, Connecticut’s regressive tax system and shows that it is a key contributor to the economic injustice in the state, a substantial multi-year revenue shortfall in Connecticut due to the coronavirus pandemic and recession, and tax reform options to address the three preceding problems.

Connecticut Voices for Children released a report entitled, “A New Function of an Old System: The Effect of Overdraft Protection Programs on Economic Security,” which explores the detrimental impacts of bank overdraft protection programs and associated fees on marginalized communities and makes policy recommendations so that residents and policymakers can better understand if Connecticut follows national trends.

Connecticut Voices for Children released their annual State of Working Connecticut report entitled, “Advancing Economic Justice in the Labor Market.”  This year’s report examines the economic standing of Connecticut’s workers and calls for a sweeping, antiracist program to advance economic justice; additionally, it offers six recommendations to combat rising wage inequality and to address the substantial racial wage gaps in the U.S. and Connecticut.

Connecticut Voices for Children released their Issue Briefing Book 2020-2022.  Versions of this document have been developed throughout the 25 years of the organization’s history. As the state experiences the convergence of a health crisis, an economic recession due to that crisis, and a contentious and long-overdue conversation on race, the “Book” has been refreshed given Voices’ new, strategic aim toward economic justice and these unprecedented times. The Issue Briefing Book 2020-2022 is designed to be a starting point for shared knowledge around the research and recommendations that are fundamental to family economic security and the undergirding fiscal and economics, with the hope of advancing shared action.