Recent Publications

Paid family leave benefits both workers and employers by allowing employees to address the caregiving needs of their family without losing their jobs or ability to pay their bills and by reducing employer costs associated with high turnover, low worker retention, and decreased Read More

A Missouri House proposal to provide economic recovery payments to Missourians intended to help families meet the rising cost of inflation would leave out one-third of Missouri taxpayers, including families earning low wages and seniors who rely on Social Security income. By Read More

The Missouri House approved its version of the state budget bills this week, including a plan for spending the $2.68 billion in state aid provided through the federal American Rescue Plan (ARPA). Missouri policymakers must obligate these funds by the end of 2024 and spent them by Read More

Updated March 15, 2022 While Missouri’s economic recovery is on the right track, many Missourians are still struggling from the economic fallout of the pandemic. Policymakers can help Missouri families get back on their feet by using a portion of the state’s federal fiscal Read More

Executive Summary Increasing housing values and associated property taxes can have a devastating impact on older adults in Missouri. In many cases, older people may end up being “priced-out” of the home they have lived in for decades and face being separated from their neighbors Read More

Missouri ended calendar year 2021 with $11.2 billion in the bank – an extraordinary amount. Although much of the balance is federal funding or earmarked state funds, $2.8 billion of the total was state general revenue. By comparison, that amount was nearly six times the Read More

Every Missourian deserves the opportunity to thrive, with quality housing they can afford, a job that lets them provide for their families, and a strong community that offers access to a 21st century education and quality health care and recreational facilities – all the Read More

Failure to renew the state’s Medicaid provider taxes would not only cost Missouri the funding associated with those taxes and their corresponding federal Medicaid match, but could also put up to $5.7 billion in additional federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan at risk. Read More

Child care providers across Missouri have faced unprecedented financial and logistical challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading many to close temporarily or permanently. Without additional fiscal support, many Missouri children & families could be left without Read More

Access to high quality, affordable childcare not only creates a solid foundation for children to thrive but is also an essential component of developing a strong workforce. The Missouri Child Care Assistance Program offsets the costs of childcare for working families with low Read More