Melissa Johnson Reports Worker Justice Underfunded English Training Limits Contribution from Georgia’s College-Educated Immigrants April 21, 2017 / January 15, 2020 by Melissa Johnson The strength of Georgia’s workforce is undermined by a lack of funding for English language programs. About 55,000 immigrants in Georgia hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and also struggle to speak English, an impediment that prevents many from fully putting their expertise to work here.[1] Georgia’s English language programs enrolled only about 12,000 adults […] Read more » immigration
Blog Budget and Taxes Wesley Tharpe Worker Justice Tax Break Scheme Aimed at Rural Jobs Offers Georgia a Poor Return on Investment April 18, 2017 / January 15, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe Among the bills now awaiting signature or veto by Gov. Nathan Deal is a complicated new tax break that promises a windfall to some well-connected financial firms and little to no benefit to rural communities it promises to help. Senate Bill 133, called the Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Act, narrowly passed the state Senate […] Read more » CAPCO tax breaks
Blog Budget and Taxes Cash and Safety Net Health Justice K-12 Education Wesley Tharpe Worker Justice 2017 GBPI Legislative Recap, Sine Die Edition March 31, 2017 / January 16, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe As Georgia lawmakers opened the 2017 General Assembly January 9, our top legislative priorities included renewal of a fee critical to the state’s health care system, momentum for a bottom-up tax cut for workers and commitment to supporting high-quality public schools. Lawmakers debated those issues and many others before adjourning late yesterday. Today’s recap updates […] Read more » Sine Die
Blog Budget and Taxes Melissa Johnson Worker Justice Immigrant ID Bills Amount to $1 Million in Waste February 17, 2017 / January 16, 2020 by Melissa Johnson One Senate bill and two House bills threaten to waste more than $1 million in state taxpayer dollars to change driver’s license and identification cards issued to immigrants, including refugees and legal permanent residents. If any of these bills pass, Georgia will spend valuable time and money tilting at windmills, while taking an unwelcoming stance […] Read more » immigration
Reports Wesley Tharpe Worker Justice Young Immigrants Vital to Georgia’s Workforce, Healthy Economy February 1, 2017 / March 18, 2021 by Wesley Tharpe Potential harsher federal immigration policies under the new presidential administration pose special concern for young Georgians whose parents brought them to the United States as children. A new federal crackdown threatens havoc for tens of thousands of young Georgians who now enjoy some limited legal protections which allow them to work, go to school and […] Read more » daca immigration
Reports Wesley Tharpe Worker Justice Georgia Stands to Lose Millions from Crackdown on Young Immigrants February 1, 2017 / January 16, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe The potential for harsher federal immigration policies under the new presidential administration poses special concern for young Georgians whose parents brought them to the United States as children. A new federal crackdown threatens to wreak havoc in the lives of tens of thousands of young Georgians who now enjoy some limited legal protections that allow […] Read more » daca immigration
Blog Health Justice Laura Harker Worker Justice Georgia’s Economy at Risk if Affordable Care Act Repealed January 20, 2017 / January 17, 2020 by Laura Harker | 3 Comments on Georgia’s Economy at Risk if Affordable Care Act Repealed Earlier this month the U.S. Congress passed a budget resolution in the first steps to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In the coming weeks congressional leaders plan to move forward in repealing key parts of the ACA and appear poised to delay passing a replacement plan. A repeal and delay sequence could cause 1 million […] Read more » Affordable Care Act
Blog Budget and Taxes Health Justice K-12 Education Taifa Smith Butler Worker Justice Stabilizing Georgia’s Health System Tops 2017 Legislative To-do List January 10, 2017 / January 15, 2020 by Taifa Smith Butler As published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution A reeling state health care system. Chronically underfunded public schools. Working families and communities that need a financial boost. State lawmakers convene in Atlanta this week with those pressing issues on their to-do list once again. Georgia’s 236 legislators also are required to pass a budget, expected to […] Read more » EITC K-12 medicaid
Blog Budget and Taxes Cash and Safety Net Health Justice Jennifer Owens K-12 Education Worker Justice The Path Forward – A Strong Middle Class Is Essential for Georgia November 16, 2016 / January 15, 2020 by Jennifer Owens | 1 Comment on The Path Forward – A Strong Middle Class Is Essential for Georgia As the dust continues to settle in the wake of last week’s presidential election, a cloud of uncertainty still obscures what the policy and budget consequences will be here at home in the Peach State. Still, two things remain absolutely certain: Georgia families are struggling, and GBPI is resolved in our important work to spotlight […] Read more » medicaid
Blog Cash and Safety Net Health Justice Melissa Johnson Worker Justice Federal Food Assistance Works for Georgia Children October 12, 2016 / January 15, 2020 by Melissa Johnson We encourage children to dream big every day. We tell them they can be doctors, astronauts or anything else they want to be as long as they work hard. However, some children are born into families that need help putting food on the table before their children can dream about anything more than the next […] Read more » SNAP