A Jobs Bill on the Federal Level

The bad news: We’re in a deep hole

State and local governments are again facing huge budget gaps, and that means our jobs, our wages, and the services we provide every day are all on the line.  What are our options to close the gaps?  We’re running out of them.  Almost all forms of tax collections are down – income taxes, property taxes, even sales taxes.

The good news: Help may be on the way

One of the biggest sources of dollars that keep state and local governments going is not any single tax but the money states get from the federal government -- and we have a chance right now to get a big boost.  Congress is debating a jobs bill that could send states $25 billion more in Medicaid funding.  This money will relieve pressure on both state and local budgets.  It will go a long way toward protecting our jobs, our wages, and the critical services we provide.

But Congress may not act to get this money flowing to our state unless we kick up the volume.  The U.S. House  jobs bill already has the Medicaid funding in it.  Now the Senate needs to act.

All of us need to raise our voices loud at the national level when these federal dollars are on the table.  That’s money that comes to keep public workers on the job, providing services our communities really count on.  -- Paul Gilbert, state representative and retired state worker