James P. Ziliak

SNAP purchasing power varies significantly with location, leaving some families vulnerable to food insecurity and negative child outcomes. In this blog post, Hilary W. Hoynes and James P. Ziliak argue for a geographic adjustment to the maximum benefit calculation in order to improve child health and reduce food insecurity.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides assistance to households that lack food security, with benefit allotments determined by the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan (TFP). However, the assumptions underlying the TFP are based on increasingly unrealistic assumptions about food preferences, time availability, and prices faced by many SNAP recipients. As a result, SNAP is less effective than it could be. In this Hamilton Project paper, James Ziliak proposes a series of reforms to the TFP aimed at strengthening nutrition assistance. 

Previous Hamilton Project author James Ziliak comments on The President's proposal for a massive investment in our nation’s young children and working families as part of the 2016 budget released today. 

James P. Ziliak explores new legislation introduced this week that would dramatically reform government subsidies for child care, and compares it to his recent Hamilton Project proposal where he suggests comprehensive reforms to the Child and Dependent Care Credit (CDCC). Ziliak believes both approaches would offer tremendous benefit to working families.

In this policy memo, James P. Ziliak proposes converting the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit from a nonrefundable tax credit to a refundable one, capping eligibility at $70,000 and making the credit a progressive function of income, child age, and use of licensed care facilities. This proposal, targeted at low- and middle-income families with children under the age of twelve, aims to increase labor force participation, disposable income, and the use of higher-quality child care. This proposal is chapter ten of The Hamilton Project’s Policies to Address Poverty in America, and a segment in Improving Safety Net and Work Support.

More than half of American families earn $60,000 or less a year — outside of poverty but with limited economic security. Many of these families rely on government programs for support and one major setback could throw their lives into chaos. On December 4th, The Hamilton Project hosted a forum to highlight two new proposals for aiding America’s lower middle class families featuring a diverse range of experts.