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    The Middle Class Squeeze

    “Families in the District with incomes of $20,000 to $60,000 pay one-tenth of their incomes in DC property, sales, and income taxes, according to a new study by the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy. This is much higher than the share of income the city’s richest families pay in DC taxes.

    “The new analysis has one important bright spot, finding that the city’s poorest families face the lowest combined DC taxes — largely due to a targeted low-income tax benefits.” Read more

    February 5, 2010
    Nowhere To Go: As DC Housing Costs Rise, Residents Are Left With Fewer Affordable Housing Options

    December 9, 2009
    Oppose Downtown Business Tax Breaks — Please Sign On Today!

    December 9, 2009
    A Proposed Tax Break to Recruit CoStar into the District: High Costs, Questionable Benefits, Bad Tax Policy

    December 1, 2009
    The Middle Class Squeeze: DC’s Tax System Falls Most Heavily on Moderate-Income Families

    November 23, 2009
    Video: Voices for Change – Perspectives on Strengthening Welfare to Work From DC TANF Recipients

    The DC Fiscal Policy Institute conducts research and public education on budget and tax issues in the District of Columbia, with a particular emphasis on issues that affect low- and moderate-income residents. By preparing timely analyses that are used by policy makers, the media, and the public, DCFPI seeks to inform public debates on budget and tax issues and to ensure that the needs of lower-income residents are considered in those debates. Learn More about DCFPI

    DCFPI writes a monthly column –”The Numbers” — that runs in the Hill Rag, East of the River, and DC North. All are owned by Capital Community News.

    The December column examines the District’s efforts to help low-income parents find employment in the midst of the current economic downturn. More than 16,000 households – and one in three children – rely on the District’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to provide cash assistance, job training, and supportive services.  Unfortunately, too often TANF participants don’t receive the education and training they need to transition successfully to work.  The column discusses specific strategies DC can use to strengthen its TANF program.

    When “Work First” Doesn’t Work: Helping Low-Income Parents Will Take More Than Polishing Their Resumes