Issue Position: We need a safety floor, not a a safety net

Emilie's vision: Government is trusted to hold us to our best selves--to allocate joint financial resources equitably and sufficiently, and to carry out our laws. Everyone has access to quality healthcare, education, affordable housing and social supports paid for with a progressive and fair tax system.

When we live in a community where we (ourselves and our neighbors) can trust that our basic needs will be met, then we can make the next step together: towards vibrant streets, caring neighbors, and positive growth. Taxes are a tool of social good, to fund our communities' joint needs; they enable us to make decisions, deliberately and democratically, about the just distribution of resources. While we work to strengthen our economy and grow wages, the eligibility process for our state benefits (housing, welfare, food stamps, medicaid, childcare) needs to be integrated to lower the burden of paperwork on both the state and the citizen. As we design how people receive benefits, we must also align when people receive benefits to be sensitive to the needs of both working and nonworking families--what we now call a "benefits cliff" must be a slow and steady "off ramp" that sets community members on their feet when they're ready, without risking family stability or inflicting moral judgment.

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