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Passing responsibilities down to lower levels of government should be undertaken primarily to place services closer to the people being served and to maximize administrative

Food and nutrition programs should have adequate funding to engage in robust outreach efforts. 

When economic conditions permit, states should accumulate budget reserves adequate to maintain services during recessions.

Deficit-reduction efforts should avoid cuts in programs that serve low- and moderate-income populations. 

States should not tie essential spending programs to unstable revenue sources. 

Higher levels of government should provide adequate resources when mandating functions to lower levels of government.

Services should be implemented and operated by the level of government that can most appropriately and efficiently deliver them. 

Public-benefit programs should ensure that families headed by grandparents and other caregiver relatives receive sufficient support for economic security and well-being. 

Tax and spending decisions should be the purview of the legislative branch. 

Legislators should not adopt supermajority voting requirements for budgetary or tax matters. 

Governments should not limit their ability to address future economic and political changes and the need for investments.