Search

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.

Efforts to reform entitlement spending should recognize the following factors:

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.

The federal government must strive for long-term fiscal balance.

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

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.

States should simplify estate planning. This includes allowing the use of electronic wills or trusts to govern the distribution of property at death.