Welfare

Private Policing Options for the Poor

Protection against criminality is a traditional function of government. Where government fails, however, people often turn to the private sector. That is why there are three times as many private se…
The Jitney Potential: Transportation for the Poor

Low-income families need transportation. They need to get to and from jobs, medical clinics and schools -- in addition to markets for other jobs and services. The automobile is the most convenient f…
Increasing the Supply of Affordable Child Care

With more children spending time in nonparental care, concerns about the quality of out-of-home care have increased. These concerns have led state and local governments to regulate and license facilit…
Is Occupational Licensing Necessary?

Restrictions on who can and cannot practice a certain profession have increased significantly in recent years. Occupational licensing — the most onerous restriction — requires people to pass tests…
Barriers to Affordable Housing

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) considers housing affordable if it costs less than 30 percent of a family's income. Yet, according to HUD, 12 million renters and homeowners…
How Tort Reform Cut Florida Workers’ Compensation Costs

Could tort reform reduce health care costs?  Using the legal system to resolve patient injury claims is expensive and inefficient. The cost of litigation - principally attorneys' fees - raises claim c…
Improving Savings Incentives for the Poor

Americans have been saving less and less of their after-tax income for the past 15 years. The annual personal savings rate averaged 8 percent from 1929 to 2000, but reached a historical low of 0.4 per…
Reforming the U.S. Poverty Standard

Policy experts expect the next administration to make major changes in the way the federal government measures poverty. The current poverty standard is an outmoded, 40-year-old measure that is adjuste…