Michiganians who recently have been disqualified from food stamp benefits because of the value of their automobiles might have the assistance restored since the state adjusted its policy, though they’ll have to reapply. Jan. 7, 2012 — The Detroit News
Thousands of people who lost food assistance because of the so-called “asset test” may be eligible again. That’s if they lost those benefits because of a car valued at more than $15,000 thousand. The new policy that exempts your primary car from that rule went into effect January 1. Jan. 7, 2012 – WILX.COM
The state government’s true surplus from its last budget year is about $434 million — less than half as much as some people have suggested, Budget Director John Nixon said Friday. Jan. 7, 2012 — The Detroit Free Press
Even though Michigan has seen its jobless rate drop below 10 percent to 9.8 percent in November, this holiday is ringing hollow for many in the county and state who struggle with the lingering recession. Dec. 23, 2011 — The Oakland Press
One part of the New York Times online edition that I like to read is “On This Day,” which features a scanned copy of the front page from a prior year on the current day’s date and a reprint of the top articles of that day.
This week has been interesting and instructive. On Jan. 4, 1965, the front page reported President Lyndon B. Johnson outlining the goals of his ”Great Society” in his State of the Union address.
He proposed a number of programs from which America still benefits today, such as Medicare, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the National Endowment for the Arts, Pell Grants, Head Start and Community Action Programs.
The article also mentions issues and ideas that we still grapple with today: government funding for high-speed rail, banning states from adopting right-to-work laws, and reducing the cost of farm programs to direct more assistance “to the small farmer who needs help most.” Interestingly, for you trivia buffs, the article also reports that the “Great Society” speech was the first State of the Union speech in which the president used a teleprompter!
On Jan. 5, 1914, the front page reported that Henry Ford introduced a minimum wage scale of $5 per day to employees of the Ford Motor Company (the highest manufacturing wages in the land) as well as an eight-hour standard work day. He also announced that the company would share its record-breaking profits with its employees through semi-monthly bonuses added to the workers’ paychecks. The company treasurer, James Couzens, was quoted as saying, “It is our belief that social justice begins at home. We want those who have helped us to produce this great institution and are helping to maintain it to share our prosperity…Believing as we do, that a division of our earnings between capital and labor is unequal, we have sought a plan of relief suitable for our business.”
Wow! Henry Ford certainly was not Eugene Debs, and this move was done in part to discourage Ford workers from unionizing, but how many large employers today try to avert unionization by paying wages that match or exceed union wages? Acknowledging the workers’ role in creating the wealth and sharing record-high profits by establishing record-high wages sounds progressive by today’s standards.
Thursday’s front page tells a different story than the others. In contrast to employers that see themselves as agents of economic justice and a Congress and president who together work to create, maintain and improve public programs to fight poverty and preserve the common good, we now read that America has less economic mobility than most other developed nations (Jason DeParle, “Harder for Americans to Rise From Lower Rungs.”) Despite our history as a land of opportunity, Americans born in the bottom fifth income level are much more likely to stay there than their peers in Europe, and those born in the middle rung are more likely to fall down than rise up.
Even so, Congress and the Michigan Legislature have in recent years dismantled, underfunded or weakened programs and tax credits that help low-income workers support their families, and the income gap between management and labor at many of the most successful companies is at a record high.
Times have changed.
– Peter Ruark
MLHS Statement:
Surplus funds could help working families and small businesses in Michigan
“With the potential of up to $1 billion in surplus funds this year, there’s an opportunity to help vulnerable children and their families. The Earned Income Tax Credit goes to janitors, waitresses, child care and nursing home aides and other low-wage workers who do important jobs and work hard to take care of their families.
The EITC was cut by $262 million. It was reduced from 20 percent of the federal credit to 6 percent. Other states have recently moved to add or increase their EITCs. Connecticut has enacted a credit at 30 percent of the federal credit while Illinois recently doubled its credit from 5 percent to 10 percent.
Restoring a portion of the EITC with this surplus money would fit with the Snyder administration and legislative leadership views that jobs are the answer to our economic problems. This tax credit rewards work and makes our overall tax system less regressive. It is also an economic generator since that credit gets spent quickly and helps local businesses.’’
Statement attribution: Gilda Z. Jacobs, president & CEO of the Michigan League for Human Services
Happy New Year! This is an exciting time for the League as we celebrate our 100th anniversary this year. The League began in 1912 as an organization of citizens concerned about the social issues of the day.
Over the years, we’ve been the Michigan Conference of Charities and Corrections, the Michigan Conference of Social Work, the Michigan Welfare League and the Michigan League for Human Services.
More change is in the works. We’ll be unveiling a new look, logo and a new name later this year.
Though we will be changing, we will honor the roots and history of our organization. And, while our mission remains unchanged over the century, our advocacy work is taking on a new sense of urgency.
Throughout the year, we’ll be looking back to events that shaped Michigan and the League, starting with the 1910s era.
Also, mark your calendars: We’re planning a centennial bash Oct. 10.
In the meantime, there’s much work to be done in 2012 to make Michigan a place of economic opportunity for all. Stay tuned!
– Gilda Z. Jacobs
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