Researcher Micheal Sherraden has an often quoted saying that: “assets are hope in concrete form.” Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a national conference on the emerging and growing field of children’s savings accounts where this concept came to life as policymakers and practitioners shared stories of how educational…...
Join Us to Rally for Working Families!
Nebraska is a state that values work and values family, but these values aren’t always reflected in our laws. As the 2014 Legislative Session comes to a close, several proposals that would have helped working families failed to cross the finish line. These proposals include: paid family and medical leave,…...
Could You Survive on $7.25?
Could you survive on $7.25? That question is particularly pertinent as the Nebraska Legislature prepares to consider LB 943, a bill that would gradually increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.00 an hour by 2017. The statistics clearly indicates the need for a wage increase. As our Family Bottom…...
New Poll Shows Majority of Nebraskans Support Minimum Wage Increase
Voices for Children released a new poll today showing that 55% of Nebraskans support increasing the minimum wage with only 33% in opposition and the remaining undecided. The poll surveyed a weighted sample of 600 Nebraskans from across the state late last month. The poll found particularly strong support for increasing…...
Minimum Wage Increase, Access to Juvenile Justice Services Among Top Legislative Priorities
With the hearings season wrapping up in the Nebraska Legislature, a number of important pieces of legislation are set for full floor debate. Voices for Children submitted written testimony on more than 30 pieces of legislation this session. Among them is LB 943 to increase the minimum wage to $9…...
Earned Income Tax Credit Offers Significant Relief for Children and Families
The Nebraska Legislature is currently considering LB 956, a bill which would provide targeted tax cuts to low-income working families. Voices for Children supports this expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) because it is good for children and families. In 2007, Nebraska expanded the EITC to 10% of…...
Raising the Minimum Wage
Nebraska is a state that values family and work, and increasing our minimum wage is consistent with these values. Parents working full time should be able to meet all of their children’s basic needs without assistance. We recently unveiled the Family Bottom Line report showing data on what Nebraska families…...
