Aloha United Way announces 2008 public policy agenda

Norm Baker, vice president of Community Building for Aloha United Way, in early January  announced the organization’s public policy agenda for the 2008 Legislative session. AUW’s top priorities are to establish a refundable state earned income tax credit and to support the recommendations of the Act 259 Early Learning Educational Task Force. In addition, the organization also expects to be visibly involved in supporting:

• Enacting the state auditor’s recommendations on payday lending
• Adjusting existing individual development account regulations to create incentives for saving by low- and moderate-income residents
• Creating a coordinated financial literacy program for the state that allows progressive training as needed by trainees
• Reauthorizing the federal State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to renew and increase funding
• Providing federal support for the operation of 211 information and referral services
• Passing the federal CARE Act and Charitable Giving Act, which create tax incentives to encourage charitable giving by individuals and businesses

AUW Chief Professional Officer Susan Doyle is also participating in community conversations supporting the Hawai‘i 2050 Sustainability Task Force and Baker is a member and temporary trustee of the Hawaii Long-term Care Financing Program which is being revised.