economy

On Tax Day, financial advisors share news and last-minute tips on tax returns. Also, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) launched the new Direct File Pilot Program

With historic levels of federal funding available for rebuilding infrastructure, city leaders from across the country gathered in Washington to discuss their top priorities. Key issues include the rising costs of fuel and housing and increasing congestion and pollution. Mayors and council members from the National League of Cities join this program to discuss pressing issues facing their cities, including their struggle to house new migrants.

On the eve of the 60-year anniversary of the Equal Pay Act, experts discuss the historical impact of the law. Also, advocates launch a campaign demanding policies that protect women, especially women of color, against gender-based pay discrimination, like the Paycheck Fairness Act. They are raising attention to workers who are often overlooked and low paid, like part-time workers, moms, and migrant workers.

The debt ceiling deal passed the House and the Senate, ending weeks of political stalemate and averting an economic crisis. The legislation now goes to President Biden. The deal includes cuts to domestic programs that help the poor. What’s in the final deal? How does it impact student loans and food aid and low-income housing? What does it mean for the Latino family?

A bipartisan agreement in the House of Representatives to raise the debt ceiling for two years is seen as a triumph for Democrats and moderate Republicans. The compromise, criticized by progressive Democrats and radical Republicans, freezes public spending levels, expands requirements for social programs, and will use unspent funds earmarked to address the pandemic, among others. The Senate has ratified the agreement and it is set to be signed by President Biden. José López Zamorano joins us with details from Washington.

The state of Colorado has just passed a pioneering law that will allow farmers to repair their farm machinery without having to rely on parts and service from the companies that sold them. This requirement, which is still in force in other states in the country, causes delays and economic losses in the agricultural sector. Yesenia Robles spoke with a farmer from the agricultural valley of San Luis who was hopeful about the benefits of the new law. She brings us this report from Denver, Colorado.

As rents in Fresno continue to climb, many young people and their families are facing instability and housing insecurity. Local community groups are putting pressure on the city government to work on rent control and tenant protections. They are also urging leaders to invest in new housing and address homelessness. On another topic, environmental advocates in the San Joaquin Valley sued air pollution control authorities to force them to remedy the worsening air quality after a recent study showed that this valley suffers the worst air pollution in the nation while industrial sources continue to increase air pollution.

Will the Nation be Able to Pay its Bills on Time? Amid disagreements over the size of government spending cuts for the next few years, the White House and Republican congressional leaders continue to engage in frantic negotiations over the debt ceiling. As the deadline for the debt default approaches, there is still no deal in sight. José López Zamorano reports from Washington with the details on the key points of contention.

During the pandemic, food assistance programs were developed for the most vulnerable, including those immigrants considered essential workers. Now that the end of the public health emergency has been decreed, this aid has also decreased although it is still needed. In California, several legislators proposed two initiatives so that low-income undocumented families can apply for food aid without being considered a public charge. On the topic of food assistance, three proposals are also being discussed in the northwestern state of Oregon. In this edition, we will speak with several proponents of these food laws.

Agriculture is a key pillar of California’s thriving economy. Yet, those working the fields face dire working conditions and serious health challenges. A new, landmark study shows many farmworkers in California live with chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure or have been infected with Covid-19 and don’t have health insurance. Most report food insecurity and do not qualify for unemployment insurance benefits. An author of the study discusses the findings and “the need for a deeper look at current policies, laws and practices in agricultural workplaces.”

Union-aligned Democrats were set to introduce legislation Wednesday mandating a statewide $25 minimum wage for health workers and support staffers, likely setting up a pitched battle with hospitals, nursing homes, and dialysis clinics.

Agriculture is a key pillar of California’s thriving economy. Yet, those working the fields face dire working conditions and serious health challenges. A new, landmark study shows many farmworkers in California live with chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure or have been infected with Covid-19 and don’t have health insurance. Most report food insecurity and do not qualify for unemployment insurance benefits. An author of the study discusses the findings and “the need for a deeper look at current policies, laws and practices in agricultural workplaces.”

Heavy winter storms in December and January caused levees to break and rivers to overflow in the San Joaquin Valley and Pajaro Valley, flooding thousands of farm working homes. Those rural communities suffered tens of millions of dollars in damage. Are those families getting the emergency assistance they need to rebuild and recover?

The general hospital in Madera County closed its doors, leaving out many people who don’t have insurance in this rural, high-poverty area of Latino majorities. Community leaders fear other community hospitals in financial troubles around the state may follow Madera. What are the ramifications?

Advocates in New Mexico are working with legislators to bring back a bill to restore voting rights for people on probation or parole, after a similar package died in the Senate last year. The New Mexico Voting Rights Act would make it easier for people with felony convictions to participate in elections and extend some voting rights to 16-year-olds.

In the deserts of Southern California, an unprecedented alliance is forming to make better use of water in times of extreme drought. Organized farmworkers and Native American leaders are joining forces with a private nonprofit to serve communities deprived of clean water and find new ways to farm amid the threat of climate change. Maria Echaveste, head of the water management company Cadiz, says they are using new technology to harness the water that is being lost. The FIELD institute for farm workers will provide training on better soil and water management and alternative planting methods. Adonis Galarza is its...

Organized farm workers and Native American leaders are coming together in a cooperative partnership with a private water-management company to make water available for agriculture, housing, economic development and other uses for disadvantaged communities in an arid area where water is scarce. The historic project, geared to create the tools to adapt to the imminent threat of climate change, is set to benefit tribal and farmworker communities in California’s Coachella and Imperial Valleys and the Mojave desert. This is the first in a new radio series titled “Cuando se Seca el Arroyo…”

Dozens of Guatemalan workers were left jobless and without pay after a Colorado mushroom mega-farm collapsed into despite receiving Covid relief. Some farm workers are now exploring the possibility of running the company themselves as a worker cooperative. The company is one of the largest employers in the San Luis Valley, which is the state’s lowest-income area.

On the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Latina leaders reflect on the road ahead in the quest for reproductive health rights. Latinas are the largest group of women of color to be impacted by the recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and current or likely state abortion bans. About 6.5 million Latinas live in the 26 states that are restricting access to abortion. How is their health, economy and life being impacted

The recent waves of winter storms in California plunged numerous Latino farmers who rent plots of land into flooding and devastation. Despite an early presidential declaration for the affected counties, emergency aid will take time to arrive. In the meantime, what will happen to the affected farmers' fields? Rubén Tapia brings us this report.

This week, the US reached its public debt ceiling. Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, warned that if Congress does not authorize expanding that cap, the damage to the country's economy could be irreparable. Congress usually authorizes the increase, but this time the political gridlock calls into question the will to do so. What are the risks if the debt is not increased? Who oppose it and why? Can the crisis be averted?

Migration, security, environment and the fight against fentanyl production and trafficking were some of the issues addressed by the heads of state of Mexico, the United States and Canada at the tenth North American Leaders' Summit this week in Mexico City. Aside from the cordial exchanges, what were the real agreements? Citlali Saenz reports from Mexico City.

The recent hospitalization of an NFL star put the story of brain trauma in the headlines. Less reported is the story that domestic violence victims suffer from head injuries more often than football players and soldiers who survive wars. Still, domestic violence survivors often go undiagnosed and untreated. Experts comment on this from Colorado, a state that’s seeing a sike in domestic violence deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic months.

The Omnibus bill signed by President Biden includes new retirement savings provisions – known as Secure 2.0 – that could make it easier to accumulate retirement savings — and make it less costly to withdraw them. The provisions include requiring employers to automatically enroll employees in 401(k) plans, allowing employer contributions for student loan payments, increasing the age for required minimum distributions and raising catch-up contribution limits for older workers.

A year ago, fierce winds unexpectedly unleashed the most destructive fire in Colorado's history. The fire started in the forest and quickly spread to the urban area, causing the evacuation of thousands, two deaths, the destruction of more than a thousand homes and structures, and multi-million dollar losses. A year after the disaster, only a handful of victims have managed to rebuild their homes. What obstacles are they facing? Rossana Longo-Better reports from Boulder, Colorado, the disaster zone.

As we look forward to the new year, news producers reflect on the issues that may shape Línea Abierta’s coverage in 2023. Plans include continuing covering the escalating climate disasters such as wildfires and heat waves, the West’s mega drought and its impact on the Colorado River and agriculture, overfishing and ocean justice communities, access to health care during the Covid-19 pandemic, the fight over abortion after the midterms, hate crimes and domestic terrorism, the border crisis and efforts to reduce barriers to naturalization, the kick off of the presidential primary season, and more.

As part of the Omnibus bill, the Senate passed new retirement savings provisions – known as Secure 2.0 – that could make it easier to accumulate retirement savings — and make it less costly to withdraw them. The provisions include requiring employers to automatically enroll employees in 401(k) plans, allowing employer contributions for student loan payments, increasing the age for required minimum distributions and raising catch-up contribution limits for older workers.

The Biden administration is again making COVID-19 tests available for free as part of a contingency plan as cases rise this winter. The four rapid virus tests per household are available through covidtests.gov. A new surge of cases is projected from indoor gathering and travel around Christmas and New Year’s. Also, antiviral Paxlovid treatment, which reduces hospitalizations, is more available for those who test positive for Covid, but many patients while eligible are not using them. These and other news are discussed in this edition.

As we enter another holiday winter season, COVID-19 and other viruses are spreading widely and things are getting worse. Cases of coronavirus, flu and respiratory syncytial infections are rapidly rising in communities around the country. What to do in anticipation of the holiday gatherings? Who should worry most about this new surge? What to know about the updated vaccine? What to do if testing positive?

California’s prolonged drought is forcing the San Joaquin Valley to put hundreds of thousands acres out of production, causing the loss of thousands of jobs. This worsening crisis, exacerbated by climate change, may lead to a drought-driven migration of Dust Bowl proportions. What’s the impact of the current drought on farm working families? Are they really leaving or thinking about leaving the valley in a mass farmworker flight? News reporters visited Huron, a community in West Fresno County surrounded by fallow agricultural lands, hit hard by the drought, and heard from farmworkers and city officials. Listeners call in and share...

New Mexico voted last week to make pre-K a universal right. A ballot measure will make New Mexico the first state in the country to guarantee a constitutional right to early childhood education. The measure gives lawmakers the green light to provide a dedicated funding stream for universal preschool and child care. An advocate explains this plan and discusses the road ahead for citizens. How to watch political decisions and hold elected representatives accountable after having cast their ballots?

More than 3,000 local leaders from across the country recently met in Kansas City to discuss solutions to a wide range of issues facing cities, including public safety, homelessness and housing affordability, mental health, immigration, infrastructure investments, and the threat of the climate crisis.

California’s prolonged drought is forcing the San Joaquin Valley to put hundreds of thousands acres out of production, causing the loss of thousands of jobs. This worsening crisis, exacerbated by climate change, may lead to a drought-driven migration of Dust Bowl proportions. What’s the impact of the current drought on farm working families? Are they really leaving or thinking about leaving the valley in a mass farmworker flight? News reporters visited Huron, a community in West Fresno County surrounded by fallow agricultural lands, hit hard by the drought, and heard from farmworkers and city officials. Listeners call in and share...

President Biden kicked off the application process for the student debt cancellation program. He announced that 22 million borrowers had already applied only in the first week. While the plan has been temporarily halted by a court, the debt relief application is still open and applications continue. Who qualifies? How does it work?

To address the critical shortage of affordable housing, Colorado voters will weigh in on a ballot measure known as Proposition 123. If it it passes, a small portion of property taxes will be dedicated to building rental units and helping low-income people with down payments. The few opponents of Prop 123 argue that the private sector should take care of the problem. Rossana Longo-Better reports from Boulder, Colorado.

Thousands of households in Colorado have benefitted from emergency rental assistance since the pandemic began but the funding is running out. Some local programs are already dry and evictions are returning to pre-pandemic levels. Where is money still available for tenants and how to benefit?

The Biden administration will invest millions in California’s San Joaquin Valley to create an agriculture-technology hub and promote new, ag-tech and engineering-based jobs. But some worry these initiatives may not lead to better jobs for farmworkers.

Proposition 308, allowing any Arizona student, including the undocumented, to be eligible for in-state tuition and state financial aid at state universities and community colleges, is in the Arizona ballot. In other news, the warden of a private prison and his brother, a county jail employee, are in custody charged with killing a migrant and wounding another one in a Texas border area. Were they hunting migrants? These and more stories are discussed in this edition.

California began sending tax-refund checks to about 23 million state residents to help them cope with the rising cost of gas and inflation. Similar payments are being sent to taxpayers in other states.

California began sending tax-refund checks to about 23 million state residents to help them cope with the rising cost of gas and inflation. Similar payments are being sent to taxpayers in other states. In other news, in the face of a megadrought, record heat waves and wildfires, Gov. Gavin Newsom and other West Coast governors signed a major climate agreement to invest more in electric vehicles, renewable energy and forest treatment. These and other news are reported and discussed in this edition.

Colorado children from low- and middle-income families may receive up to 20 hours a week of free preschool under a state’s draft plan. Currently, the law guarantees ten hours a week for all 4-year-olds. The new, universal preschool program will be in the fall of next year.

Mexico’s President López Obrador announced a new plan to fight inflation and an agreement with producers and distributors of groceries to avoid price increases. This and other stories are discussed with political analysts.

On National Hispanic Heritage Month, a group of Latino parents are coordinating community events around the nation to highlight the heavy impact air pollution and climate change are having on the health of Latino children. communities. A leading member of this effort discusses what the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act means for Latino families and their efforts to engage Latino voters in battleground states. Also, another guest analyst talks about the poverty hotspots, as hunger is on the rise in the US.

Just days ahead of the deadline, California Gov. Newsom signed a number of bills allowing immigrants to gain access to more social services and protections, including allowing state IDs, expanding farm worker union rights, raising wages for fast food workers, expanding paid family leave to low-wage workers, and allowing vendors to sell food on streets. He also signed into law a plan requiring California schools to serve only domestic-made foods. He also vetoed a bill providing unemployment benefits for undocumented workers. Journalists explain details about those pieces of legislation.

Latino students attending community colleges face a number of pressures, including the soaring costs of living. As they struggle, community college leaders reach out to inform on recent changes to financial aid programs, including changes to Cal Grant and more support for full-time students to help them pay for the costs of college.