Archives: Rules

Living Wage Ordinance – Minneapolis

In March 1997 the city council unanimously passed a living wage policy requiring businesses benefiting from $100,000 or more in city assistance in one year to pay employees a living wage. The wage will be defined and indexed as 110% of the federal poverty level for a family of four. Recipients of such assistance must also set a goal that 60% of new jobs will be held by city residents. Additional provisions prohibit privatization of services currently performed by city employees that would result in lower wages, and preferences for assistance to union-friendly businesses.

Living Wage Ordinance – Detroit

At the ballot box on November 3, 1998, Detroit voters overwhelmingly approved a living wage measure that requires city service contractors or recipients of city financial assistance of $50,000 or more to pay employees a wage equivalent to the federal poverty line for a family of four.… Read More

Living Wage for Employees of Large Retailers – Chicago

In July 2006 the Chicago City Council voted 35-14 to pass a new ordinance that requires large retailers to provide employees with a compensation package consisting of a minimum living wage and a minimum benefits package.… Read More

Equal Educational Opportunity Act – Vermont

The Vermont legislature passed Act 60, The Equal Educational Opportunity Act, in June 1997, following a February state Supreme Court ruling in a class-action suit that Vermont’s method of paying for education was inequitable and unconstitutional.… Read More

Equity in School Finance – Maryland

Maryland’s legislature enacted a new education finance system in 2002. It provides for $1.3 billion annually in additional school funding, and targets this increase to districts with lower wealth and more high-need students. Maryland is one of the first states to reform its school finance system based on the cost of providing every student with the opportunity to achieve the state’s achievement standards.… Read More

School Funding Formula – New Mexico

New Mexico’s school funding formula has long been considered one of the most equalized in the nation. A state will tend to have more equalized funding when several conditions apply: a) the state takes on a larger share of the funding (as opposed to when individual school districts raise the majority of funds through property taxes); b) states target their funding to poorer districts, and; c) states take into account regional differences in the cost of education (for instance, it is more expensive to educate a child in New York City than in Plattsburgh.)… Read More

Earned Income Tax Credit – Wisconsin

Wisconsin is the only state to condition benefits on the number of children a family has: 4% of the federal credit for one child, 14% for two children and 43% for three children.… Read More

Earned Income Tax Credit – Minnesota

Minnesota’s benefits are among the highest: from 15% to 46% of the federal credit, depending on earnings.… Read More

Canadian Healthcare System

Since 1971 all Canadian citizens, regardless of income, employment or health, have enjoyed access to basic health care, whether it’s provided in a hospital, home or clinic. Canada provides this coverage at a fraction of what the United States pays in health care costs. Americans spend 14 percent of their GDP on health care expenditures; Canadians only 9 percent. Yet despite its high cost, the U.S. system fails to insure more than 44 million of its citizens. Some analysts predict that figure will grow to 60 million by 2008.… Read More