Free Republic

(CNN)The federal government picked up the cost of the unprecedented expansion of jobless benefits during the pandemic, but many states are still facing a hefty tab for their share of the program -- and tough decisions about how to cover the bill. To avoid hiking taxes on employers, some states have opted to use billions of federal dollars they received in two congressional rescue packages to replenish their unemployment trust funds or repay the federal loans they took out. But others must decide whether to dip into the federal funds, hike taxes on employers or cut future benefits -- as...

Buoyed by a large budget surplus and swimming in federal pandemic recovery money, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday proposed $12 billion to get more people experiencing homelessness off the streets and into homes of their own. Newsom’s proposal includes $8.75 billion over two years to create an estimated 46,000 housing units, expanding on a program he launched last year to convert motels and other properties into housing. Nearly half the money would go toward housing in places where people with mental health and other behavioral issues can get services onsite. Newsom also proposed spending $3.5 billion on rental subsidies,...