Office of Child Support Reductions Weaken Enforcement Capabilities

May 10, 2010 The Child Support program, operated by the Office of Child Support Services, is vitally important to tens of thousands of Rhode Island single parent families. This issue brief explains how reductions in staff and high caseloads weaken the ability of child support enforcement to establish orders and collect support for families. Child Support Staff Cuts 2010 Report (PDF, …

An Uneven Path: State Investments in Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency

Income and work support programs are vital to a woman’s ability to seek and sustain employment while caring for her family. Rhode Island, like all states, has invested in programs that help low and modest-income working mothers and their families make ends meet. These programs include child care assistance, cash assistance, low-cost health insurance, and child support enforcement. In recent …

Corporate Giveaways Costly to Rhode Island Taxpayers

March 27, 2010 Ocean State missing the boat by failing to enact combined reporting and decoupling from the federal “domestic production deduction” corporate tax break Over the past decade, Rhode Island has given up hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue through a variety of tax breaks and giveaways of questionable value to the economy.  Even before the economic downturn, …

The Flat Tax Causing Steep Decline in Revenue

February 03, 2010 Over the past decade, Rhode Island has given up hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue through a variety of tax breaks of questionable value to the economy. The “flat tax” is one example of a tax break enacted in recent years that is costing the state tens of millions of dollars in forgone revenue. It has …

Report claiming Rhode Islanders moving out to avoid estate tax is unmoving

Press Statement From Kate Brewster, Executive Director, The Poverty Institute The most recent census found that Rhode Island’s population grew over the past decade[1]. So too have the number of wealthy taxpayers, according to information taken directly from federal tax returns[2]. Despite these facts, a report released today marks yet another attempt to lay the groundwork for more tax cuts for …

State of Working Rhode Island 2007

February 03, 2007 Rhode Island’s economy weathered the 2001-2002 recession well, adding new jobs as growth in the rest of the country stalled. Since 2004, however, the Rhode Island economy has fallen behind. Job growth is slowing, unemployment rising and the median wage fell by 0.6% since 2000, making Rhode Island the only state in New England to experience a …

The Status of Women in Rhode Island – A Mid-decade Report

January 03, 2007 This study, commissioned by the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and written by The Poverty Institute, measures how well Rhode Island women are doing on several indicators including political participation, employment and earnings, social and economic autonomy, and health and well-being. Read the full report.

The Right Start for Children, Families and Rhode Island

March 06, 2006 Starting RIght Child Care: The Right Start for Children, Families, and Rhode Island The 1998 Starting RIght Initiative sought to ensure access to affordable, high-quality child care and early education for all Rhode Island families with children from birth to 16 years old. The Program focused on three crucial supports: financial support to parents, provider reimbursement and …

State of Working Rhode Island 2005

September 03, 2005 This report provides a comprehensive overview of the trends in job growth, unemployment, wages, poverty, and work-related benefits in Rhode Island. Read the full report.