Midlands Voices: We all do better when we all do better

This ethos is on display in countless acts of kindness in each of our communities when a neighbor falls on hard times and neighbors step forward to scoop the sidewalk, help with child care, bring a casserole, or even harvest crops. We need to carefully ensure that generosity of spirit and deed remains reflected in our approach to state policy.

Imagine the current state of the law: A family of three making less than $11,000 per year qualifies for about $485 a month in direct cash assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to help them meet basic needs and work their way out of poverty. The amount of assistance has not been significantly adjusted since 2015 and has not kept pace with inflation.

Almost 10 years ago, State Auditor Mike Foley raised concerns about Nebraska’s lack of action to modernize its work support programs to directly help our Nebraska neighbors in need. This lack of attention has resulted in our state building up a “reserve fund” of $130 million. This reserve fund has become an attractive target for policymakers and lobbyists to plunder to invest in various projects — that have merit — but don’t provide direct assistance to families in need.

Providing direct assistance is the primary purpose of these funds and gives us the best chance at truly breaking cycles of poverty and giving kids a better start to a brighter future.

A recent study, which included Omaha, explored connections between poverty reduction and children’s wellbeing illustrating what we already know to be true — children who grow up in poverty are more likely to experience delays in growth and development, which hurts their ability to be successful in school and sets kids on a path to system involvement.

The most effective way to help poor children is to make sure their parents have what they need to provide for them. Research shows that when money goes directly to parents, they spend money locally on children’s clothes and books, on fixing up a car, on covering unmet medical needs and for household supplies.

We have an opportunity now to do something important by taking a step forward together to help our Nebraska neighbors in need. Our state finances include an unprecedented surplus and are projected to grow. Nebraska is taking big strides to limit the tax burden for the wealthy and big corporations because of these fiscal conditions. Nebraska consistently has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and the highest rates for both parents and women working outside the home.

We need to bring the same political will to making sure all Nebraskans have the opportunity to succeed. We should honor the original intent of the TANF program and learn from recent local research, to update our laws to make a bigger difference for Nebraska’s kids.

As Gov. Jim Pillen pledged on Jan. 25, 2023, in his State of the State Address: “Nebraska will never ever give up on a single kid.” That’s an important NorthStar policy goal we can all get behind.

We have an important opportunity now as Nebraskans to rectify the mistakes of the past with this program and provide a fresh start to bring all stakeholders together and cooperatively create a plan that recognizes government does not know better than parents about what their families need and ensure we are using our existing resources like this reserve fund to ensure in Nebraska neighbors continue to come together to do good because we know in our hearts that when we all do better, we all do better.