House approves $93 billion jobless benefits package, By Lori Montgomery, May 28, 2010, Washington Post: “The House passed a $93 billion package of jobless benefits and business tax breaks Friday after moderate Democrats fed up with deficit spending forced leaders to slice billions of additional dollars from the legislation. The House voted, 215 to 204, to approve the measure, which would extend expanded benefits for the unemployed through November, finance thousands of summer jobs and renew for one year dozens of expired tax credits and deductions for businesses and individuals. The cost of those provisions would be partially covered by higher taxes on multinational corporations and investment fund managers, leaving about $31 billion to be added to the budget deficit…”
Month: May 2010
Eligibility for Free School Lunch Program – Philadelphia, PA
Formula could cost Phila.’s needy students free lunch, By Alfred Lubrano, May 23, 2010, Philadelphia Inquirer: “Thousands of poor Philadelphia students could face the loss of free lunch if a new method of calculating eligibility becomes federal law. Though the change could extend free lunch to students across America, it threatens a program unique to Philadelphia known as Universal Feeding, which allows more than 110,000 students in poor schools to eat free lunches without having to fill out applications. Children and their families in poor communities don’t always complete such forms, creating the potential for kids to go hungry. The suggested change could deny free lunches to as many as 51,182 students – 46 percent of the Philadelphia children who now receive those meals, said Michael Masch, chief business officer for the district…”
Food Stamp Enrollment – Oregon
More Oregonians than ever are receiving food stamps, By Michelle Cole, May 15, 2010, The Oregonian: “More than 700,000 Oregonians received food stamps last month, which means nearly one in five people in the state are relying on government help to buy their meals. The numbers — the highest in the history of the program — are well above the national average and suggest that families are still struggling financially. Oregon’s high unemployment rate and a push to make the program accessible to all who qualify are driving the record enrollment. Managers at the state Department of Human Services say they do not see any sign of a decrease. Oregon officials first noted the surge in demand for food stamps in 2008, with Bend, Medford and rural counties recording early and substantial increases. More recently, families in the Portland metro area have been seeking help in greater numbers…”