Budget and Taxes Community Impact Federal Policy Taifa Smith Butler Letter in Support of the American Families Plan and the American Jobs Plan June 3, 2021 / June 3, 2021 by Taifa Smith Butler The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute recently sent a letter to Georgia’s U.S. representatives and senators to urge them to support the provisions that are already included in the American Families Plan and American Jobs Plan as well as a few additional provisions that would help build a quicker, more equitable recovery. You can read […] Read more » american families plan american jobs plan American Rescue Plan arp
Budget and Taxes Community Impact People Powered Prosperity Taifa Smith Butler Letter Urges Governor to Restore Budget Cuts, Deploy Revenue Shortfall Reserve February 26, 2021 / March 2, 2021 by Taifa Smith Butler Dear Governor Kemp, The proposed budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 includes $1.2 billion in continued cuts from FY 2020 state spending to programs and services across Georgia. At a time when millions of families are experiencing greater needs due to the pandemic, this budget would underfund Georgia’s schools, services for Georgians with […] Read more » Budget Cuts
Blog Budget and Taxes Cash and Safety Net Coronavirus Health Justice Higher Education Inclusive Economy for Immigrants K-12 Education Taifa Smith Butler Worker Justice To A Healthy, Prosperous New Year December 31, 2020 / December 31, 2020 by Taifa Smith Butler Today marks the end of 2020, and I know we all are breathing a sigh of relief as 2021 is a sunrise away. As I reflect on this past year and everything that has tested us, feelings of fear, loss and pain are inescapable. The pandemic brought existential challenges for our world and we felt […] Read more »
Blog Budget and Taxes Coronavirus Taifa Smith Butler Georgians Need Congress to Prioritize Bipartisan Relief Package August 3, 2020 / August 6, 2020 by Taifa Smith Butler Georgians have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression. Infection numbers in Georgia continue to grow, and our hospitals are stretched to capacity. After declining each week since early May, Georgia is again seeing an increase in unemployment claims, as well as a decline in weekly benefits. […] Read more » Budget Budget Cuts coronavirus COVID-19 Unemployment
Blog Budget and Taxes Cash and Safety Net Coronavirus Health Justice Higher Education K-12 Education People Powered Prosperity Taifa Smith Butler Worker Justice GBPI Writes Senator Perdue About the HEROES Act July 27, 2020 / November 17, 2020 by Taifa Smith Butler GBPI recently wrote the following letter to Senators Perdue and Loeffler asking them to support the HEROES act and aid Georgians in this difficult time. We need your help — please write our senators today asking them to help Georgians recover and thrive. July 24, 2020 Dear Senator Perdue: Georgians have been hit hard by the COVID-19 […] Read more »
Blog Budget and Taxes Cash and Safety Net Coronavirus Health Justice People Powered Prosperity Taifa Smith Butler Worker Justice Georgia Won’t Thrive if People Don’t Survive March 31, 2020 / November 17, 2020 by Taifa Smith Butler Key Takeaways: Years of disinvestment, poor public health infrastructure and systemic barriers have exposed Georgians’ vulnerability—particularly for those with low incomes and for communities of color—to this health and economic crisis. State, local and federal governments have enacted solutions to help mitigate these effects, but these changes may not be enough to truly support the […] Read more » coronavirus COVID-19 flat tax medicaid Unemployment
Blog Cash and Safety Net People Powered Prosperity Taifa Smith Butler GBPI Letter Urges Governor, State Leaders to Remove Barriers to SNAP During Pandemic March 18, 2020 / March 15, 2021 by Taifa Smith Butler Dear Governor Kemp, It is commendable that Georgia is taking proactive and necessary steps to fight the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and it is imperative that the state consider support for families with tight budgets and few savings who will face great financial strain. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food […] Read more » coronavirus COVID-19 Safety Net TANF
Blog Budget and Taxes Cash and Safety Net Health Justice Higher Education K-12 Education Taifa Smith Butler Worker Justice Heading into a New Decade with Gratitude and Intention December 31, 2019 / March 12, 2021 by Taifa Smith Butler Today marks the last day of 2019 and the end of the decade and GBPI’s 15th anniversary year. We’ll officially wrap our anniversary celebration on Friday, January 24 at our annual Insights policy conference with New York Time’s Nikole Hannah-Jones as our keynote speaker. You don’t want to miss it. Gratitude My heart is filled […] Read more »
People Powered Prosperity Taifa Smith Butler Investing in Georgia’s people is our best path forward January 28, 2019 / May 19, 2020 by Taifa Smith Butler As published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday, January 27, 2019 Georgians are ready for a people-first strategy that builds a stronger, more inclusive economy where all families can participate and thrive. For years, state leaders have prioritized growing our economy with a business-first approach by focusing on corporate tax breaks that divert more than […] Read more » Budget Budget & Taxes Economic Security health medicaid Medicaid Expansion State Budget State Taxes
Blog People Powered Prosperity Taifa Smith Butler Committed to a People-First Vision and Ready for What’s Next December 26, 2018 / May 19, 2020 by Taifa Smith Butler Our 2018 Highlights that Mattered to You Most Can I speak my truth for a minute? Leading a research organization focused on fiscal policy and expanding economic opportunity for all, in the South, is not for the faint of heart. The regrettable legacy of slavery and racism persists in our economy and makes for a […] Read more » Budget Budget & Taxes Economic Security economy Education health Medicaid Expansion
