Capping Assistance Would Affect Few but Add to Economic Hardship for Some Children

In any given month in 2010, some 11,000 people looked to New Hampshire’s Financial Assistance for Needy Families (FANF) program for help in meeting everyday needs. Of that number, nearly three in four were children, many of whom are being cared for by relatives, in the absence of a parent. The cash benefits available under FANF are temporary in nature, generally contingent upon meeting some form of work or education requirement, and fall well short of securing even the most basic of essentials.  In fact, the average monthly FANF payment of $507 amounts to less than half the poverty level for a parent and child.

Nevertheless, policymakers are weighing new restrictions upon the families that rely upon the program. In particular, legislation now before the House of Representatives – HB 1658 – would prohibit women who have a child while participating in the program from receiving any additional assistance related to that child. This Issue Brief presents an overview of the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program and its New Hampshire incarnation, FANF, and aims to provide a context for considering greater restrictions on families already struggling to make ends meet. … Continue Reading

Statement of Executive Director Jeff McLynch on Legislative Briefings on New Hampshire Economy

CONCORD — The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute released the following statement today:

As state lawmakers meet this week to examine the condition of the New Hampshire’s economy and its ramifications for state revenue, they should remain mindful of the consequences that the current state budget has had for individuals and families across the state.

From the loss of hundreds of jobs at hospitals and medical centers across the state, to greater barriers to access to health care for thousands of Medicaid patients, to ever higher tuition at our universities and community colleges, the budget crafted by the legislature has made New Hampshire a less desirable place to live or to do business, said Executive Director Jeff McLynch.

“Should revenue collections for the fiscal year 2012-2013 biennium fall short of expectations, policymakers should not rely on further spending cuts. Rather, they should take a more balanced approach that seeks to generate additional revenue and forestall further cuts to critical services,” he said. … Continue Reading

Poverty Continues to Climb in the United States, Remains Above Pre-Recession Levels in New Hampshire

Data released earlier today by the US Census Bureau indicate that poverty continues to climb across the country, as millions of individuals and families experience firsthand the effects of the nation’s sluggish economic recovery. The same data suggest that poverty in New Hampshire remains at relatively elevated levels, though such state-oriented findings should be considered preliminary until the Census Bureau issues more definitive state-by-state data later this month.

“This latest information from the Census Bureau shows that many New Hampshire residents – and millions of their fellow Americans – continue to struggle to make ends meet,” said Jeff McLynch, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute. “Policymakers considering further cuts to the state budget should heed this warning and take a more balanced approach to addressing any future shortfalls.” … Continue Reading

Poverty on the Rise Across the US and in New Hampshire

The US Census Bureau’s annual report on income, poverty, and health insurance coverage reveals a sizable increase in the national poverty rate in 2009, as the ongoing recession continues to take its toll on millions of individuals and families struggling to make ends meet. Data included with the release of the report show a similarly sharp upturn in poverty in New Hampshire, though such state-oriented findings should be considered preliminary until the Census Bureau issues more authoritative state-by-state data later this month. … Continue Reading