GBPI In The News Virus’ impact on state government could be worse than Great Recession April 19, 2020 / June 23, 2020 by Caitlin Highland The Great Recession forced state governments across the country to lay off or furlough millions of workers and cut services to everything from schools to parks, but some warn the coronavirus pandemic could cause even more economic pain. Predictions are that states could combine to face up to a $500 billion shortfall over the next […] Read more » Budget COVID-19 Great Recession State Taxes Unemployment
GBPI In The News 1 in 5 Georgians now out of work in COVID-19 slowdown April 17, 2020 / June 23, 2020 by Caitlin Highland Nearly one in five Georgia workers is now unemployed, according to statistics released by the U.S. Department of Labor. That’s an unemployment rate of around 18 percent to 20 percent, and it’s likely to spike even higher. About 900,000 Georgia workers filed initial unemployment claims in the four weeks ending April 11, according to the […] Read more » Alex Camardelle COVID-19 racial equity Unemployment
GBPI In The News Georgia public colleges could take $350 million hit from virus April 14, 2020 / June 23, 2020 by Caitlin Highland The University System of Georgia faces revenue losses of $340 million to $350 million through this summer because of coronavirus impacts, according to University System Chancellor Steve Wrigley. The system’s per-student funding from the state is already down 35 percent over the past 20 years, he reminded members of the state Board of Regents in […] Read more » cares act COVID-19 Higher Education Jennifer Lee University of Georgia University System of Georgia
GBPI In The News No tuition increase expected at Georgia public colleges in the fall April 9, 2020 / June 23, 2020 by Alex Welch The chief of the state’s university system is recommending a tuition freeze for the upcoming academic year at Georgia’s 26 public colleges and universities. On Tuesday, the Board of Regents, the appointed board that oversees Georgia public higher education system, will be asked to approve a recommendation of no increase in tuition for the 2020-2021 […] Read more » COVID-19 Higher Education In-State Tuition Jennifer Lee
GBPI In The News With Georgia classrooms closed for the school year, digital divide emerges April 6, 2020 / June 23, 2020 by Alex Welch Camden County Schools closed March 17, but it wasn’t until April 1 that substitute teacher Bern Johnson’s third-grade granddaughter got her hands on a laptop to do her schoolwork. […]Gov. Brian Kemp announced last week that Georgia’s public schools will be closed through the school year, but Georgia students have been studying from home for […] Read more » COVID-19 K-12 rural broadband Stephen Owens
Coronavirus GBPI In The News Worker Justice Atlanta’s Low-Wage Workers: Most at Risk, First to be Cut in Crisis March 25, 2020 / June 23, 2020 by Caitlin Highland As virus-linked actions slam the brakes on the metro Atlanta economy, the first to be hurt are the workers who are already in the most precarious positions, earning low wages and living paycheck to paycheck. Restaurants are going to “take out only” — or closing altogether — and many of those people see their jobs cut. “The […] Read more » coronavirus COVID-19 Unemployment
Coronavirus GBPI In The News Worker Justice The Coronavirus’s Harsher Reality for the Most Vulnerable March 25, 2020 / May 19, 2020 by Caitlin Highland The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is creating new burdens and exacerbating existing ones for Americans at the economic margins. Government has the obligation and the opportunity to ease those burdens. A major problem of the nature of work in America: Far too many people are unemployed or underemployed, and don’t have access to benefits like paid […] Read more » coronavirus COVID-19 Education medicaid
GBPI In The News Ga. department of labor weighing changes to state’s unemployment insurance March 25, 2020 / June 23, 2020 by Caitlin Highland […]A non-partisan group in Georgia is recommending big changes to state leaders that put more money in the pockets of unemployed people for longer. The state is seeing unemployment claims jump as emergency orders shut down many businesses across the state. The Governor and Department of Labor commissioner already made changes for people who are temporarily laid […] Read more » Alex Camardelle COVID-19 Jobs Unemployment Insurance
Budget and Taxes GBPI In The News Ga. House may go after ‘double deduction’ some get when they file income tax returns March 11, 2020 / May 19, 2020 by Caitlin Highland The Georgia House is considering eliminating the “double deduction” of state income taxes some Georgians can take on their tax returns. […] The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute think tank, which opposes state tax cuts for upper-income Georgians, estimated that eliminating the double deduction would raise $130 million in tax revenue. It would increase taxes on […] Read more »
GBPI In The News These state bills could help immigrant students afford college March 11, 2020 / June 23, 2020 by Caitlin Highland Some legislators are pushing for undocumented immigrant students to be given access to in-state tuition rates at Georgia’s public colleges. Several bills on the issue are proposed in the Georgia House of Representatives. The bills, which have been assigned to the House’s higher education committee, include some restrictions such as the student having graduated from […] Read more » daca higher ed immigration