SEATTLE – No podremos ser electores informados mientras tengamos como principal fuente de información la catarata de anuncios agresivos que inundan las frecuencias de Washington – especialmente sin una pista sobre realmente quién los está pagando. La League of Women Voters of Washington (Liga de Mujeres Votantes de Washington) afirma que sin reglas transparentes para las campañas, los electores se quedan solos al buscar fuentes de información que no estén sesgadas.

Esta semana los electores de Washington están recibiendo por correo sus papeletas para votar. Durante varias semanas previas han sido bombardeados con anuncios políticos y llamadas telefónicas de campaña, esfuerzo que se mantendrá firme hasta el día de la votación.

Una encuesta del New York Times revela que en esta elección intermedia, el 55 por ciento del dinero gastado hasta ahora en ‘spots’ de televisión proviene de grupos que no revelan quiénes son todos sus donadores. Eso no le sorprende a Kim Abel, presidenta de la League of Women Voters of Washington (Liga de Mujeres Votantes de Washington), quien dice que la Liga apoya la Ley DISCLOSE, una iniciativa que está en el Congreso para exigir que todos los grupos con un gasto político mayor a 10 mil dólares, identifiquen a sus donantes.

“Hasta que consigamos la transparencia total sobre la propaganda y quién está detrás de esos mensajes de campaña -sentenció-, te toca a ti hacer el trabajo, comprobar datos y escuchar con oído crítico. Cuando veas un anuncio que no sea pagado por un candidato, no te confíes.”

Agrega que no es imposible encontrar información fuera de los partidos. Sus recomendaciones son la página de internet Vote411 de la Liga de Mujeres Votantes de Washington (LWVWA), el folleto para electores de la Secretaría de Estado, y el portal VotingForJudges.org (Votar por los Jueces).

En cuanto a la ley DISCLOSE, en los años recientes se han presentado varias versiones. La iniciativa actual no ha avanzado desde julio; los dos senadores por Washington la apoyan.

Abel dice que, como cualquier producto que hace publicidad, lo que busca un anuncio político es hacer que el ciudadano decida con base en sus emociones. Pero agrega que a la Liga le preocupa el intenso tono negativo de los anuncios de ataque, y también que pueda estar teniendo efectos negativos en los electores.

“Algo que sucede a veces con todo este dinero gastado en anuncios de televisión -razonó- es que la gente no se siente parte del proceso. Aún así, las personas que votan deberían entender que ellas hacen la diferencia; tu voto cuenta; el voto de cada persona es importante.”

También menciona que vale la pena asistir a un foro o un debate para ver a los candidatos en persona. Hay docenas que se celebran en todo el estado en las próximas dos semanas.

Los detalles de la ley DISCLOSE están (en inglés) en www.congress.gov.


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A new report analyzes Pennsylvania's existing voucher programs, that divert public funds to private schools.

This comes on the heels of Gov. Josh Shapiro's plan to create a new voucher program for K-12 students.

Diana Polson - senior policy analyst with the Keystone Research Center - said last year's Commonwealth Court decision ruled that Pennsylvania's system of funding public education is unconstitutional, therefore the state doesn't have a dollar to waste on expanding existing private-school voucher programs or creating a new one.

"The basic-education funding commission estimated the state must pay $5.1 billion over the next seven years to make sure our public schools are funded equitably and adequately," said Polson. "Meanwhile, our report finds that existing private-school voucher programs are siphoning millions from taxpayers with little to show for it."

Supporters argue that vouchers let children leave under-performing public schools and get a better education at private schools.

Polson said Pennsylvania's voucher programs have no "meaningful educational or financial accountability," so they really have no way of knowing if these programs operate as intended or are beneficial to low-income or moderate-income students.

Polson said the report reveals that the programs have grown, and just this year they will cost the state nearly $500 million.

However, these voucher programs exclude students in rural areas, because there are few if any participating private schools in these regions.

Local public schools remain the primary option for most rural families.

"We also found that private schools receiving these funds are allowed to - and do - routinely discriminate against students for reasons including disabilities, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and more," said Polson. "These programs are also exclusive. They subsidize the state's most elite and expensive private schools as well as affluent families."

Polson said the report reveals that the Independent Fiscal Office estimated that the average EITC program scholarship was $2,314, while the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit was slightly less at around $2,000.

The cost of attending one of the top 25 private schools in Pennsylvania is around $41,000 per year. This means these schools are still out of reach for many low- and moderate-income families.

As Nebraska's 2024 legislative session draws to a close, family caregivers and their supporters are closely watching the progress of Legislative Bill 937, the Caregiver Tax Credit Act.

The bill provides eligible family caregivers up to $2,000 in tax credits for out-of-pocket expenses or up to $3,000 if the family member receiving care has dementia or is a veteran.

Jina Ragland, state director of advocacy and outreach for AARP Nebraska, said family caregivers are filling health care gaps in the state, especially with 15 Nebraska counties currently lacking a nursing home or assisted-living facility. Ragland argued the state's family caregivers need and deserve financial support.

"We really feel they're the backbone of the U.S. care system," Ragland emphasized. "Especially here in Nebraska because they're helping parents, they're helping loved ones live independently in their homes."

Family caregivers in the U.S. spend an average of $7,000 per year in out-of-pocket expenses. Employed caregivers sometimes lose wages when they have to take time off for caregiving responsibilities. Others retire early, losing both wages and retirement income.

The bill includes an income limit of $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for married couples. Sen. Eliot Bostar, D-Lincoln, introduced the bill on behalf of AARP Nebraska. The legislature is expected to debate the measure for the second time this week.

Joyce Beck of Grand Island knows firsthand the emotional and financial strain of being a caregiver and losing a loved one. She retired early to care for her husband, who suffered from multiple sclerosis and cancer. In addition to significant out-of-pocket expenses, her Social Security and pension payments are both lower because she retired early.

Beck said she knows some Nebraskans face bigger financial struggles as a result of their caregiving.

"If there's any financial support that we can give, that would be so beneficial," Beck contended. "Some people don't have the option of a retirement account or a pension plan, so $2,000 would be huge for them. "

Ragland stressed family caregivers are helping Nebraska taxpayers as well. When their caregiving delays or prevents expensive-nursing home placement, it contributes to lowering the state's Medicaid costs.

"An important concept for people to understand is the value of those people who are just doing what they think is right," Ragland asserted. "The time and the money and the energy that they're providing as family caregivers to offset, again, the gaps in the care services that we have in our communities."

Six states currently offer a caregiver tax credit, and there is a bipartisan bill in the U.S. Congress to enact one at the federal level.

As California faces a $38 billion budget deficit, state lawmakers have identified $17 billion in potential cuts before the Legislature begins crunching the numbers later this week.

Initial plans include shifting some funds away from job training programs but the idea is getting some pushback. Advocates of the programs said at a time when skilled worker shortages plague essential sectors, investments in job training are needed.

Lisa Countryman-Quiroz, CEO of San Francisco-based Jewish Vocational Service, a nonprofit job training agency helping to match jobseekers with employers, said current economic conditions call for investment in programs like theirs.

"This is absolutely critical given the cost of living, given rising economic inequality in the state of California, the people who really want to be able to provide for their families, people who want to be able to advance in their careers," Countryman-Quiroz outlined. "We are helping people get there."

Democrats, who hold a supermajority, agreed last week to reduce the state's projected shortfall through spending cuts, delays, deferrals and cost-shifting. The budget debate could start as soon as Thursday.

Countryman-Quiroz said while job training can have high costs, workforce investments often pay for themselves by closing opportunity gaps in employment and creating economic revenue. She cited one program, known as the High Road Training Partnership.

"We see a really positive return on investment," Countryman-Quiroz pointed out. "Every dollar that JVS specifically has received in HRTP funds has resulted in $2 in wages for the jobseekers that we work with."

Jordan Hernandez, a graduate of the High Road Training Partnership, said he has successfully accessed both education and job opportunities.

"This program has given me a lot of confidence, especially with school things," Hernandez noted. "I never thought I'd be in school, so once I got into this program, I was very nervous, but they were very welcoming. They treated me with respect, and they understood where I was coming from."


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