Five innovative policymakers are being honoured for their proposals that improve Americans’ economic well-being and quality of life and make government work more effectively to meet communities’ needs1.
Connecticut’s student repayment tax credit2 won top honours within the category of Expanding Access to Education. Connecticut has the highest student debt per capita in the country, averaging over $30,000 per person. The state is also suffering from highly skilled graduates leaving to start their careers elsewhere. Businesses that have left this state regularly cite the challenge of recruiting a talented workforce when explaining their decision to relocate operations.
Senator Will Haskell resolved these problems by drafting and passing SB 72, a corporate tax credit for any business that helped pay off the employees’ student loans. Companies that hire recent graduates can reduce their liabilities by helping to pay back the loans of their employees.
In the category, ‘Securing our Communities and our Planet’, the city of Lincoln in Nebraska won the accolades for its biogas-to-vehicle fuel3 solution. The State capital needed an approach for optimizing its wastewater system by harvesting renewable methane, converting it to usable fuel, and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In keeping with Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, the city developed a new process that treats, cleans and transforms the biogas generated by its wastewater system into quality, renewable vehicle fuel. The solution also protects air quality by stripping the biogas of severe pollutants like sulfur and carbon dioxide.
In the category ‘Healing our Democracy and Rebuilding Community’ Councilmember Will Jawando tackled the thorny issue of setting police standards for the use of force. While Black residents structure about 20% of the Montgomery County in Maryland, they are involved in 55% of force incidents. With Latino residents included, that accounts for over 75% of use-of-force incidents by police.
In response, the county drafted a law4 that prohibits a police officer from using deadly force except when necessary. The law requires officers to stop or attempt to stop the use of excessive force or the commission of a crime by another officer.
Other challenge categories and winners include
- Responding to Immediate Post-Pandemic Needs and Building a Stronger Safety Net: Kentucky Maternal and Infant Health Project5 – State Representative Nima Kulkarni (Louisville, Kentucky.)
- Rebuilding Jobs and the Economy: Secure Tokens for State Financial Offerings6 - State Senator Chris Hansen (Denver, Colorado)
The challenge was open to 178 members of the NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders), an organization that supports state and local pro-growth progressive elected officials through the exchange of ideas and engagement with other top public, personal and non-profit sector officials.
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