May 2017
Youth Policy  NEWS
Highlights innovative youth-focused policy work at the local, state and federal levels.

Changing the Odds for Youth
Following the Forum for Youth Investment's annual meeting in March and in a continuous effort to focus on equity, quality and readiness throughout the year, the Forum has launched an expanded page of resources to promote discussions and notable advancements towards achieving equity. One of the resources features a blog by Karen Pittman, President and Co-Founder, about  Changing the Odds for Youth highlighting the differences between equality and equity, access and quality, and  completion and readiness. 

In the 35th Ward of Chicago, students serving on the Aldermanic Youth Council are proposing a policy to encourage local developers to donate money to a special youth jobs fund. They modeled their proposal on an examination of the impact fee assessed on developers in Philadelphia to aid low-income residents. The students believe an impact fee of this nature would help ensure investment in the youth population and thus the community's future. Other cities have established similar measures. For example,  San Francisco has required developers to invest in local youth as development impact fees are assessed on residential and office/hotel spaces to benefit child care fund.

National Association of Counties Analysis of FY 2017 Omnibus Appropriations Package  naco
The National Association of Counties has recently concluded its analysis of the FY 2017 Omnibus Appropriations package and its impact on programs dispersed across the nation's counties. The 1,665-page omnibus spending package ( H.R. 244), introduced on May 1, continues to fund most programs that counties rely on at the same level as in FY 2016. Some of these programs include the USDA Rural Development and Water programs, Rural Community Facilities program and the Community Development Block Grant. This appropriations package stands in contrast to the Trump administration's proposed budget, which sought to eliminate the Community Development Block Grant along with the Rural Development Undersecretary position.
Youth Advisory Council within the Navajo Nation Signed into Lawnavajonation
Prior to April 30, the Youth Advisory Council of the Navajo Nation served only as an ad-hoc committee. Due to the advocacy and persistence of the committee's youth members, the Navajo Nation has signed into law that the youth council serve as an advisory committee for all branches of Navajo government. All 12 Council members must be between 14 and 24 years old, with two appointed from each of the five Navajo agencies and two more appointed at large. 

Will Oregon be 2nd State to Allow Local Children's Special Taxing Districts? oregon
The Children's Special District Bill ( SB123) has been approved by the Oregon State Senate with bipartisan support and is headed to the House for approval. If approved in the House and signed into law by the Governor, this bill would enable Children's Special Taxing Districts to be formed in any locality throughout Oregon with voter authorization. There are more than 36,000 special taxing districts in the US for things like sewers, stadiums and airports but only eight currently focus on children, all in the state of Florida. 

Underfunded 2020 Census Could Hurt Already Disadvantaged Communities  census
With the national decennial Census just three years away, several events in recent months including the Trump administration's budget proposal for the next fiscal year, have pointed to severe troubles ahead for the program. Inadequate preparation support, insufficient funds and the resignation of Director John Thompson have signaled potentially significant problems for the accuracy of the count. Redistricting and federal program funding rely heavily on the Census numbers and certain segments of the country home to minorities and lower-income families, could be disproportionately affected if the Census reaches fewer homes.


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