COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As state lawmakers work on Ohio's budget for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, there's a grassroots call for the budget to reflect policies that protect and care for all Ohioans and communities.

The Ohio Organizing Collaborative and Policy Matters Ohio unveiled their "People's Budget" on Tuesday, which the groups say will ensure the government is working for its people.

Portage County Treasurer Brad Cromes joined the release, saying budgets are moral documents and should reflect that.

"For too long, we have been saying that the financial wellness of a very few is more important than the financial wellness of everybody in the state," he said, "and that's got to change if we're ever going to start moving our state forward."

The People's Budget features seven demands: quality education, safe communities, economic dignity, care for caregivers, stability for families, a working health-care system and a category known as "Funding Our Lives." It's an alternative to Gov. Mike DeWine's budget proposal released in February.

Tia Ferguson shared her struggles working as a substitute teacher in Columbus without paid leave. After giving birth to a stillborn son, Ferguson said she had to return to work before she was emotionally ready. She contended that with economic stability, other aspects of life will fall into place.

"If your child care is funded, that's a worry that you don't have," she said. "So, you can make sure that you're taking the time to go back to school and get your education, so you can further your career. But if you don't have that foundational piece set, then all the other aspects don't even come into play."

State Rep. Stephanie Howse, D-Cleveland, said a "people's budget" is about paying attention and being flexible enough to make adjustments when people really need them. She said she thinks state leaders should take the lead in addressing the discrimination faced by people of color in education, health care, housing and more.

"Declaring racism as a public health crisis is needed more now than any time, ever," she said. "We could be on the forefront of what it really looks like to lift up racial equity and social justice."

Specific provisions of the People's Budget include tax code reforms, increased funding for education, and investments in housing, anti-hunger programs and maternal health.

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This story was produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.

North Dakota is no stranger to public pension debates. States face pressure to keep retirement systems well-funded and new data show most Americans place great value on such benefits for both government and private-sector workers.

According to the National Institute on Retirement Security, 86% of Americans believe all workers, not just those employed by state and local governments, should have a pension. There are similar approval levels when asked how important public pensions are in recruiting teachers and public safety workers.

Dan Doonan, executive director of the institute, suggested it is not too surprising to see the results.

"Pensions, along with other benefits, are part of creating that culture of careers and not jobs," Doonan explained.

Starting in January, North Dakota will close its main public pension plan for new hires, who will instead be offered a 401(k)-style benefit. The move followed debate over whether it was the right way to address a $1.9 billion unfunded liability. Backers argued it protects benefits for existing workers and taxpayers but skeptics contended it makes it harder to attract workers to the public sector.

Doonan noted the survey results overlap with the idea maintaining an experienced public-sector workforce is a good thing for community members and not just the employee and employer.

"In general, when public services are done well, they're often invisible, right?" Doonan emphasized. "We want good roads, we want safe communities, and I think Americans understand the role of having career public servants in terms of delivering those outcomes."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said state and local governments employ about 20 million workers, which represents about 13% of the U.S. workforce.

As Nebraskans anticipate the upcoming holiday season, some might also be looking ahead to the 2025 tax season, which will include a new tax credit for family caregivers, including those looking after military veterans.

Starting in 2025, a new state law provides eligible family caregivers up to $2,000 in tax credits for out-of-pocket expenses. The cap increases to $3,000 if the family member receiving care has dementia or is a veteran.

Jina Ragland, associate state director of advocacy and outreach for AARP Nebraska, said those who served have access to care benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs but added it sometimes is not enough.

"Because some of their service-related illnesses or injuries, they extend beyond what they're able to afford, or maybe what the coverage is through the VA," Ragland explained.

She pointed out it puts more pressure on loved ones assisting them on a daily basis. During National Veterans and Military Families Month, supporters of the new law hope more families will see if they are eligible. Ragland noted while it helps reduce the financial strain, greater awareness of resources is also needed, to help all family caregivers avoid burnout.

Ragland emphasized one example is providing caregivers information about where to turn for guidance when a loved one is first discharged from a hospital. She argued entities at all levels need to maintain progress, because their outreach shows a demand for solutions.

"Over 90% of Nebraskans say that they want to age in place with the lowest level of care," Ragland reported. "In order to do that, oftentimes we have to rely on family caregivers."

There are no age restrictions to qualify for the tax credit. As for eligibility factors, the law includes an income limit of $50,000 dollars for individuals and $100,000 for married couples.

Health care providers and schools across North Carolina could soon benefit from tax credits to help projects get off the ground and serve thousands of people.

The Self-Help Ventures Fund, a North Carolina-based nonprofit focused on expanding economic opportunities in underserved communities, recently secured a $50 million boost from the U.S. Treasury's New Markets Tax Credit program.

Sarah Brennan, structured finance sector leader at the fund, said the tax credits will support critical community projects that otherwise could not move forward, driving development where it's needed most.

"It can be really difficult for a community facility to pull together the millions of dollars in equity that they would need to get traditional financing," Brennan explained. "They are able to go forth and build projects that literally would not have been able to happen otherwise."

She noted the fund will roll out the credits across six to eight projects in the next few years, with a focus on health and education facilities in North Carolina and several other states where they operate. The organization pointed out how transformative the investments can be, funding essential services such as health clinics and schools for areas most in need.

Emma Haney, director of business development and project management for Self-Help Ventures Fund's real estate team, said with construction costs soaring, the need for this type of funding is more critical than ever.

"Most projects that you could have filled the gap with $5 million in allocation or around that much, you might need $10 million or $15 million now," Haney pointed out. "It's just sort of an exponential increase in the need per project with a finite amount of resources."

With the latest allocation, Self-Help has administered tax credits totaling $483 million. The organization hopes Congress will expand the tax credit program to keep up with demand, as each dollar plays a vital role in lifting underserved communities.


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