6 stories shaping housing, retirement, and student loan policy

 

Policy Pulse: Economic Advancement

Revitalizing a Suburban New York Downtown The New York suburb of New Rochelle added housing units near its transit station, leading to stabilization of property tax revenue. The town's former mayor reflects on how the surge revitalized the local economy and strengthened the community's sense of connection. Q&A

State Retirement Programs Don't Crowd Out Private Plans States with automated retirement savings programs have enrolled over 900,000 workers whom didn't have access to workplace plans before. As these programs expand, data suggests they're not replacing private options—indicating the two options can coexist in the marketplace. NEW DATA

The Case for More Manufactured Housing Manufactured (or factory-built) homes can cost up to 50% less per square foot than site-built homes, offering millions of U.S. homebuyers a more affordable path to homeownership. What policies could help make them more accessible? EXPLORE NOW

🎧 Homeownership Challenges on Tribal Lands With a preexisting shortage of 4 million to 7 million homes in the United States and cultural conflicts surrounding the concepts of land and home ownership, many Indigenous communities face significant challenges in accessing homeownership. Policymakers and Tribes are working together to address this barrier. LISTEN NOW

How Better Communication Can Stem Student Loan Default Clear, timely, and accessible communication is critical for student loan borrowers. Federal agencies, then, should use behavioral research to ensure borrowers get the message—and avoid delinquency. LEARN MORE

States Explore Affordable Shared Housing New state laws are opening doors to affordable shared housing, an option particularly valuable to low-income renters. In one state, allowing microunits (one form of shared housing) helped add 360,000 units over 10 years—nearly doubling its housing production rate. SEE HOW

IN THE MEDIA The Silly Rule That's Helping Keep Housing Costs High THE NEW YORK TIMES Federal Student Loan Borrowers in Default May Again Face Wage Garnishments, Collections CNBC Ageism in the Workplace: Accelerating a Future of Poverty? FORBES

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THANK YOU SENATOR WARREN! The big news about the company that was once America’s biggest student loan servicer

 

THANK YOU SENATOR WARREN!

SENATOR WARREN ORIGINATED CFPB THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE 

FOUGHT TO DESTROY....IT IS THE ONLY AGENCY THAT FIGHTS FOR 

CONSUMERS - YOU! AND STOPS ABUSIVE PRACTICES..... 

SENATOR WARREN'S CRYPTO SCAMMER OPPONENT COMMENTED 

THAT HE WOULD DETERMINE HIS VOTE BASED ON WHAT BENEFITS 

MASSACHUSETTS....CFPB PROTECTS & BENEFITS ALL AMERICANS! 

A SENATOR'S OBLIGATION IS ALL AMERICANS!

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau just announced that Navient, which was once the biggest student loan servicer in America, will have to pay $100 million in relief to borrowers they harmed — on top of a $20 million fine — and will be barred from federal student loan servicing. I’ve been working for years to hold Navient’s feet to the fire for their appalling abuses of student loan borrowers, including… Steering people into more expensive repayment options, making it harder for them to pay back their loans Throwing roadblocks in the way of student debt cancellation for borrowers who attended fraudulent for-profit schools Failing to report borrower complaints — which maybe wasn’t a surprise, because for years they ranked dead last in borrower satisfaction according to surveys from the Department of Education The CFPB's actions are an example of the CFPB doing what it does best: holding cheaters accountable and putting money back in the pockets of people who got hurt. All together, the CFPB has delivered over $20 billion in relief. That’s over 20 billion reasons why it was worth fighting uphill all the way to create this agency dedicated to looking out for consumers. And that’s over 20 billion reasons why we need to keep fighting back as the CFPB’s opponents keep trying to block this agency from doing its job. While I continue working to hold student loan servicers accountable for mistreating borrowers, I’ll keep working alongside the Biden-Harris administration to cancel more student debt — on top of the nearly $170 billion in relief they’ve delivered to over 4.7 million borrowers. And I won’t stop working to put higher education within reach for all. Everyone who wants to should be able to continue their education after high school even if they don’t come from a family that can write a big tuition check. I take on these fights so we can build a future not just for some of our kids but for all of our kids. And we’re able to win these fights because grassroots donors power our grassroots movement. If it makes sense for you right now, will you pitch in $5 or any amount to our re-election campaign and help make more change that makes a real difference in working people’s lives? If you've saved payment info with ActBlue Express, your donation will process automatically: DONATE NOW: $15 DONATE NOW: $28 DONATE NOW: $50 DONATE NOW: $100 DONATE NOW: $250 OTHER AMOUNT Thanks for being a part of this, Elizabeth

DONATE Paid for by Warren for Senate All content © 2024 Warren for Senate, All Rights Reserved PO Box 171375, Boston, MA 02117

 

Sanders Warns 'Absurd' Low Pay of Teachers Fueling Public Education Crisis

"We cannot continue to run our public education system on the backs of saints and martyrs," an elementary school teacher testified to a Senate committee.

A pair of public school teachers warned a key Senate committee on Thursday that low educator pay in the United States is fueling staff shortages across the country and damaging the country's education system, which is also under sustained attack from right-wing lawmakers who want to slash federal investments in schools and abolish the Department of Education.

"The number one reason teachers leave the profession is the pay," John Arthur, an elementary school teacher in Holladay, Utah, told members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee during a hearing convened by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

"The number one reason parents don't want their children to become teachers is the pay," Arthur added. "So the number one solution to addressing the issues we face must be increasing teacher salaries."

"The situation has become so absurd that four—one, two, three, four—hedge fund managers on Wall Street made more money last year than every kindergarten teacher in America." —Sen. Bernie Sanders

In written testimony submitted to the Senate panel, Arthur argued that low teacher pay, chronic lack of resources, and extreme stress exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic are at the core of staffing crises that are impacting an overwhelming majority of U.S. school districts, posing a threat to the entire public education system.

"We cannot sustain a healthy, effective public school system when so few parents want their kids to join me and my friends in the classroom," Arthur's testimony reads. "We cannot continue to run our public education system on the backs of saints and martyrs. We must raise wages to the level at which we can successfully recruit and retain the talent we need to effectively educate all children, regardless of zip code."

A teacher at Philadelphia's third-largest elementary school, Gemayel Keyes, echoed Arthur, noting during Thursday's hearing that low pay and substantial student loan debt have forced him to work a part-time job and denied him "the American dream of homeownership."

"We must invest in our teachers but also in our paraprofessionals," said Keyes. "If we continue to underinvest in the pay and working conditions and don't match the responsibilities and job expectations, the paraprofessionals shortage will rise, the same way the pipeline of teachers has declined. I must also acknowledge and fully recognize that my job as a teacher would be impossible to do without my paraprofessional staff."

Watch the full hearing:

According to the latest data, the average starting teacher salary in the U.S. is $44,530, and nearly 80% of the nation's school districts pay a starting salary below $50,000. Teachers have a starting salary below $40,000 per year in around 30% of U.S. school districts.

The national average teacher salary is $69,544, and significant recent pay increases in some states have not been enough to keep up with inflation.

Just 15% of K-12 public school teachers are extremely or very satisfied with their pay, according to a Pew survey released earlier this year, and 68% say their job is "overwhelming."

"Student absenteeism is at an all-time high and teacher shortages are at crisis levels in most states," William Kirwan, vice chair of Maryland’s Accountability and Implementation Board, told the Senate panel. "Our students do not perform well on international assessments. Alarm bells should be ringing across the country."

Sanders, the lead sponsor of legislation that would set the minimum annual salary for U.S. public school teachers at $60,000, said during his opening remarks at Thursday's hearing that "for decades, public school teachers have been overworked, underpaid, understaffed, and, maybe most importantly, underappreciated."

The senator added that while there are "many reasons" why U.S. public school teachers are leaving their jobs each year at double the rate of peer nations, "one of the primary reasons is the extremely low pay teachers receive."

"Incredibly, the average public school teacher in America is making nearly $100 a week less than she or he did 28 years ago after adjusting for inflation," said Sanders. "Meanwhile, because of lack of resources and tight school budgets, about 80% of public school teachers are forced to spend their own money on classroom supplies without being reimbursed."

"The situation has become so absurd that four—one, two, three, four—hedge fund managers on Wall Street made more money last year than every kindergarten teacher in America," Sanders continued. "Public school teachers should not be forced to work two or three jobs to make ends meet. They should not be forced to be on food stamps."

Witnesses are pictured during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on June 20, 2024. 

(Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

COMMON DREAMS

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The Campbell interview

 

View in browser   BY LISA KASHINSKY Presented by CAMPBELL CHARTS HER COURSE — Andrea Campbell spent her first five months as attorney general laying the groundwork to fulfill some of her signature campaign promises. Now she’s about to get the legislative sign-off she needs to bring those plans to fruition. Lawmakers are putting the finishing touches on a state budget that will help stand up Campbell’s elder justice, reproductive rights, gun violence prevention and police accountability units and pay for the directors she’s already in the process of hiring. And the sweeping firearms legislation top House Democrats introduced this week included several reforms Campbell has been advocating for to help crack down on ghost guns and illegal firearms trafficking. “There are some legislative changes that we need in order to be able to do our enforcement aggressively and to remain progressive when it comes to our gun laws,” Campbell told Playbook in an interview, adding that she’s “grateful” for lawmakers taking the first step. But as Campbell forges ahead in some areas, the federal government is stymieing her in another: enforcing the state’s automotive “right-to-repair” law that’s been tied up in court since voters passed it in 2020. Campbell got the green light this month to start requiring automakers selling cars here to give customers and independent repair shops wireless vehicle data. But the feds are now telling manufacturers to ignore the law because it could violate federal car safety legislation — and Campbell said they didn’t warn the attorney general’s office first. “I along with the team were extremely disappointed and shocked,” Campbell said. “We hope we can resolve this so that we can actually implement the will of the voters and not allow a letter to essentially preempt our state law where there was no process or input from Massachusetts residents.” Here are more excerpts from Playbook’s chat with Campbell, edited for length and clarity: Andrea Campbell | AP How is your office preparing for Supreme Court rulings that could possibly curtail affirmative action and student loan forgiveness? We are forming partnerships with the governor's administration, as well as others who are participating in [the governor’s] advisory council , so that we are prepared to always be promoting diversity when it comes to education. The same thing with student debt relief. What we’re finding is we still have a lot of work to do to make sure that folks are aware of the [existing] initiatives and the public interest loan forgiveness programs that they may be eligible for. How are you differentiating your attorney general’s office from that of your predecessor, now-Gov. Maura Healey? As we continue to build the team and establish our strategic plan, folks will see that it builds upon the work of those who came before, but also continues to establish my lane when it comes to certain types of issues, including government accountability work [and] criminal legal reform. What do you think of the indictments against former President Donald Trump? We’ve all seen enough where folks should ask the question: if you want someone to serve in an elected role, I would like them to not only be one of tremendous character, but also integrity and honesty. And that's what the constituents and public deserve. And I don't think, based on a long record of things we've seen publicly or heard firsthand, that he is one of good character. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Campbell said her office is still “actively reviewing” the referral from campaign finance regulators to investigate possible violations by GOP state Sen. Ryan Fattman and former MassGOP Chair Jim Lyons, among others. TODAY — Healey marks the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s state visit to Ireland at 9 a.m. in Dublin. Acting Gov. Kim Driscoll tours Pryde LGBTQ Senior Housing at 10 a.m. in Boston and chairs a Governor’s Council meeting at noon at the State House. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu holds a press conference on the Sumner Tunnel Closure at 9:30 a.m. at Wonderland Station in Revere. Sen. Ed Markey tours Kennedy Community Health at 11:30 a.m. Rep. Jake Auchincloss visits Mass General Brigham’s CSPAR at 12:30 p.m. in Foxborough. Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com .   A message from American Beverage Association: At America’s beverage companies, we are committed to reducing our plastic footprint. That’s why we’re carefully designing our plastic bottles to be 100% recyclable, including the caps. Our goal is for every bottle to become a new one, so they don’t end up in nature. Learn more at EveryBottleBack.org.   HEALEY WATCH — “In historic speech to Irish Senate, Healey lauds LGBTQ+ rights as bond between countries,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “In a landmark address Tuesday to the Irish Senate, or Seanad Éireann, Gov. Maura Healey lauded recent LGBTQ+ triumphs in Ireland and the United States as a unifying force and a source of political and economic strength moving forward. ‘It was not so long ago when the story of Irish American unity and the story of gay liberation would never have been told together,’ Healey said. ‘I’m here to say they are the stories of the same people — threads of the same fabric that have forever bound us and will bind us across time, and strengthen our mutual futures.’” WARREN REPORT — WHEELS IN MOTION: Sen. Elizabeth Warren fought to get federal funding for electrifying school buses. Now she wants Massachusetts cities and towns to apply for the EPA's $400 million Clean School Bus grant program by its August deadline because “electric school buses are an important investment in our children’s future.” Read the letter to the Massachusetts Municipal Association and local communities. — “Elizabeth Warren to Janet Yellen: You’re wrong on bank mergers,” by Zachary Warmbrodt, POLITICO. DATELINE BEACON HILL — “In 'historic' moment, MCI-Framingham prisoners testify live at moratorium hearing,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “A group of 20 women incarcerated at MCI-Framingham testified live on Zoom at a hearing on Monday — for the first time in legislative history. Clad in green uniforms, each woman sat in front of a camera in a white room and spoke in favor of a prison moratorium bill. The legislation would put a five-year pause on planning or building new prisons and renovating current prisons ‘beyond maintenance or building code requirements.’” — “State education board approves changes to educator licensure regulations,” by Adria Watson, Boston Globe: “In an effort to combat educator shortages in classrooms throughout Massachusetts, the state education board on Tuesday approved changes to make it easier for existing educators to teach special education and English as a second language, two fields that have long required additional licensing.” — “House Wants Fresh Numbers On Senate Tax Relief Plan,” by Alison Kuznitz, State House News Service (paywall): “House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz and Rep. Mark Cusack, the House chair of the Joint Committee on Revenue, sent a letter to Department of Revenue Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder asking him to calculate the ‘fiscal impact’ of a bevy of relief measures in both branches' bills." — “DiZoglio Seeks More Leeway For MBTA Audits,” by Alison Kuznitz, State House News Service (paywall): “Bills that DiZoglio filed with Rep. Christopher Worrell and Sen. Liz Miranda (H 3132 / S 2032) would allow the auditor's office to conduct audits of the MBTA once every two years and ‘as often as the state auditor determines is necessary.’"   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING : What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today .     FROM THE HUB — “Councilor Ricardo Arroyo admits to ethics violation, pays penalty in connection with representing his brother,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo has admitted to a conflict of interest violation and paid a $3,000 penalty for continuing to represent his brother in a sexual harassment lawsuit after Arroyo became a member of the City Council, according to the State Ethics Commission.” — “‘Blindsided’: State slams BPS over O’Bryant plans,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “Education Commissioner Jeff Riley blasted the proposal by Boston Public Schools to move the highly rated O’Bryant School to West Roxbury, saying state officials were ‘blindsided’ by the announcement.” — “One year into school improvement plan, state official grades Boston’s progress 'incomplete',” by Max Larkin, WBUR. — “Here’s what to expect at the NAACP convention in Boston, the first in four decades,” by Tiana Woodard, Boston Globe. — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta is endorsing Sharon Durkan in the special election for District 8 city councilor.   A message from American Beverage Association:     PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “Short circuit at fault in dragging death of Red Line passenger last year, NTSB finds,” by Laura Crimaldi and Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “Federal investigators on Tuesday said a short circuit was to blame for the failure of a safety system designed to prevent a Red Line train from accelerating and dragging a passenger to his death last year after his arm became stuck between car doors.” FROM THE DELEGATION — “McGovern backs constitutional amendment to strip big money from elections,” by Alexander MacDougall, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The proposed joint resolution, known as The Free and Fair Elections Amendment, would limit the amount a person could contribute to any individual political congressional or presidential campaign to $100, and the limit the amount of total spending in an election cycle by an individual to $1,000. In addition, it would ban any corporation or related entity from spending any amount of money to influence an election.” FROM THE 413 — “Interim superintendent in Easthampton officially on board, inks $157K deal,” by Emily Thurlow, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The School Committee’s decision to hire a temporary leader follows several tumultuous months this spring, which included the resignation of two School Committee members, in the failed permanent superintendent search.” — “Candidates in Agawam begin race for open mayoral seat,” by Aprell May Munford, Springfield Republican: “Town Council President Christopher C. Johnson said he is among the handful of candidates seeking to become the next mayor of Agawam. … Rosemary Sandlin and Cecilia P. Calabrese, who both sit on Town Council, and newcomer William Clark, a local business owner, have pulled papers with the town clerk in order to begin the process to run.”   SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY .     THE LOCAL ANGLE — “'Epitome of divisiveness': City councilor blasts Chamber letter on encampment sweeps,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “In an extended statement Tuesday, District 4 City Councilor Sarai Rivera blasted the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce for releasing a letter Friday afternoon against a proposed moratorium on clearing homeless encampments.” MAGA MORON CONFIRMS STUPIDITY! — “Truck from Conn. company hired by MassDOT displayed Confederate flag in Fitchburg,” by Darren Botelho, NBC10 Boston: “MassDOT says it prohibits these kinds of displays and it told the company it would not be allowed to do any more work until the flag was taken down.” — “Council budget cuts target fixed costs; ‘How does that make any sense?’ asks mayor,” by Arthur Hirsch, New Bedford Light. MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — SPLIT SCREEN: Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis escalated their rivalry in dueling events in New Hampshire yesterday, against the backdrop of a new Saint Anselm poll showing the former president rising to 47 percent support and the Florida governor running far behind at 19 percent. — FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS : “Addressing a town hall in Hollis, DeSantis vowed to 'actually' build the U.S.-Mexico border wall that Trump tried but failed to complete as president. He also pledged to tear down Washington’s traditional power centers in ways that Trump fell short. Speaking later at a Republican women’s luncheon in Concord, Trump countered that DeSantis was being forced to settle for second place in the primary. … DeSantis took extensive audience questions — a trademark in New Hampshire politics that he eschewed during his previous visit to the state … Trump, meanwhile, offered a free-wheeling speech for more than [an] hour. He didn’t take questions in Concord.” — CHRISTIE CORNER: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie , who's running a New Hampshire-focused campaign, came in third in the Saint Anselm poll with 6 percent. He also told POLITICO's Kelly Garrity that Trump is "the cheapest S.O.B. I’ve ever met" for steering donations from his presidential campaign to pay his legal fees.   A message from American Beverage Association: America’s leading beverage companies - The Coca-Cola Company, Keurig Dr Pepper and PepsiCo - are working together to reduce our industry’s plastic footprint through our Every Bottle Back initiative. We’re investing in efforts to get our bottles back so we can remake them into new bottles and use less new plastic.  Together, we’re:  Designing 100% recyclable plastic bottles – we’re making our bottles from PET that’s strong, lightweight and easy to recycle.    Investing in community recycling – we’re marshalling the equivalent of nearly a half-billion dollars with The Recycling Partnership and Closed Loop Partners to support community recycling programs where we can have the greatest impact.  Raising awareness – we’re adding on-pack reminders to encourage consumers to recycle our plastic bottles and caps.      Our bottles are made to be remade. Please help us get Every Bottle Back.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Mark William Bracken has been named executive director of the Massachusetts State Lottery after serving as its interim head. — The Massachusetts Dental Society has appointed Daniel DiTullio as the organization’s director, government affairs and dental practice. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Erin McPike, Moses Marx and Nick Mitchell. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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