A new poll shows North Dakota voters want major changes to the state’s Legacy Fund, which operates as a savings account funded by oil tax revenue.
In 2010, voters approved the creation of a fund, sometimes called the “People’s Fund,” through which 30 percent of tax revenue from the state’s oil production flows into the fund each month for long-term investments and general operations. is what happened.
In a poll commissioned by the North Dakota News Cooperative, 68% of respondents said they wanted the money to be spent on economic development within North Dakota, rather than the current focus on investments outside the state. .
Trevor Smith, chief research officer at analytics firm WPA Intelligence, led the project and said the results speak for themselves.
“There’s not a lot of knowledge about what legacy funds are,” Smith said. “Three percent of voters are ‘in the know.’ 55% “don’t know much about it.” And voters really want transparency. ”
He added that 84% of respondents wanted fund managers to simply post their investments online, rather than the current rules requiring them to submit requests for information. The poll was conducted earlier this month among 500 voters in North Dakota.
Smith noted there is no partisan divide in calling for more accountability and transparency in how the fund is run.
“Voters basically agreed about the same thing, no matter who they were or what party they supported,” Smith reported.
Smith added that given that the Legacy Fund remains a mystery to the public, it makes sense that it would be raised as a campaign issue. The fund is currently valued at just under $10 billion, according to state records.
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Nebraska will see nine long-term care facility closures in 2022, second only to Texas’ 13 closures.
In total, Nebraska has lost 29 assisted living facilities and nursing homes over the past three years. Lack of funding for Medicaid patients, workforce issues and rising costs of goods and services are among the factors contributing to these closures.
Two bills being considered by the Unicameral Appropriations Committee today would represent significant increases in state and federal funding for both types of facilities.
Jalene Carpenter, CEO of the Nebraska Health Care Association, said additional funding is critical to stemming the state’s long-term care crisis.
“In Nebraska, 15 counties have no nursing homes or assisted living facilities. [facility], and a “care desert” is really starting to emerge. And that poses significant problems for Nebraska’s seniors,” Carpenter said.
LB-941 increases daily reimbursement rates for assisted living residents in the Medicaid Waiver Program. The new daily rate of just under $79 is based on research from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. LB-942 would increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing homes by approximately 5% over the next year. Both bills were introduced by state Sen. Myron Dohrn (R-Adams).
Carpenter emphasized that while the state’s long-term care workforce is improving after the coronavirus, Medicaid reimbursement rates play a big role.
“The vast majority of Medicaid dollars, when you look at what it covers, is primarily for workforce and benefits.Nursing facilities and assisted living are very hands-on, and we are “We need affordable rates to attract and retain team members,” she added.
Carpenter said the state, educational institutions and organizations, including the Nebraska Health Care Association, are also focused on developing the long-term care workforce by introducing young people to careers in the medical field and strengthening certified nursing assistant programs. Ta.
“Not only are we increasing rates to help facilities attract and retain (employees), but we as an association are also trying to look at other ways to bring people into the workforce for this profession,” she said. Told.
In 2023, Gov. Jim Pillen approved a one-year 3% increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates, but vetoed the Legislature’s 2% increase in the second year.
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A coalition of organizations has set budget priorities for the Oregon Legislature to advance racial, gender, and economic justice.
The Fair Shot for All coalition includes labor unions, racial equity, education groups and more. They proposed the People’s Budget for 2024 during this year’s short session.
Fair Shots for All coalition director Heather Stewart said one of their priorities is the state’s housing crisis. She noted that more than 80 percent of evictions occur because someone is behind on rent.
“Rent assistance is the single most effective means of preventing evictions, ensuring landlords get paid and tenants have a place to stay,” Stuart explained. “Our request for this session is $45 million to ensure the program can meet demand.”
The Coalition Government is proposing that the state invest $63 million in housing and rental assistance.
The groups behind Fair Shot for All also want the state to invest heavily in child care. Stewart noted that while the subsidy program, known as employment-related day care, is beneficial to families, there is still room for expansion, with more than 1,300 families on the waiting list.
“The ERDC program is a lifeline for families,” Stuart asserted. “It allows parents to keep working and children to get the childcare and early education they deserve. And that affects all of us, but it also affects BIPOC communities and those who pay for childcare. Others who cannot do so will feel disproportionate.”
Stewart argued that Oregon should also invest more in school-based health centers that serve critical needs across the state.
“We know that Oregon has significant issues, especially when it comes to things like student mental health,” Stuart outlined. “And for health care in many communities where it is difficult to find easily accessible health care providers.”
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Approximately 180,000 Nebraskans are caring for family members.
Nationally, family caregivers spend an average of more than $7,000 annually on related costs. A bill in the Nebraska Legislature would help offset some of those costs.
Bill 937, introduced by Sen. Eliot Boster of Lincoln, would provide eligible caregivers with 50% of their eligible expenses up to $2,000 per year, or $3,000 if they care for a veteran or family member with dementia. Provides a state tax deduction equivalent to . .
Gina Ragland, AARP Nebraska’s deputy director of advocacy and outreach, said family caregivers are the “backbone” of the state’s long-term care system, especially in the current workforce shortage.
“We are increasingly relying on family caregivers, who are unpaid and many of whom have full-time jobs,” Ragland pointed out. “We rely even more on them to provide that kind of care to honor their loved ones and help them stay in place and age.”
The bill sets an adjusted gross income cap of $50,000 for single caregivers and $100,000 for married caregivers. The person being cared for will need assistance with at least two of her daily living activities, such as eating, dressing, and hygiene. The Ways and Means Committee held its first hearing on the bill on January 26, but has not yet taken action. As of 2023, six states offer some form of tax credit for family caregivers.
The measure also covers long-term care costs such as home improvements, medical equipment, home health aides, adult day care, and respite care. Ragland reports that nearly half of family caregivers are struggling financially because they have depleted their own savings, cut back on work hours, or reduced their retirement savings. He pointed out that there was.
“Each time an employed family caregiver is forced to retire or reduce their work hours to meet caregiving duties, there is a loss of income, retirement savings, benefits, and career mobility. It’s a possibility,” Ragland outlined.
Ragland noted that Nebraska’s family caregivers save the state nearly $3 billion annually in care costs. She emphasized that its importance will grow even more as the population ages.
“Because our workforce is unsustainable and we cannot be sustainable,” Ragland argued. “We need to rely more on family carers and find ways to provide them with support so that they can continue to care for their loved ones at home, but also sustainably and in their communities. I have to find it.”
A bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress in January that would give eligible family caregivers up to $5,000 in federal tax credits.
Disclosure: AARP Nebraska contributes to the fund for reporting on budget policy and priorities, consumer issues, health issues, and aging issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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