Union Bosses Make 7x More Than Starting Teachers — Students Score 30% Proficient | The States

A new Urban Institute tool tracking 2023 data found large gaps between eligibility and enrollment in means-tested programs — SNAP had the highest participation rate nationally at about 57-60%, while LIHEAP had the lowest at 17%, with wide state-by-state variation. Senior fellow Linda Giannarelli said non-participation stems from lack of awareness, application hurdles, and underestimating one's own eligibility, and that entitlement programs like SNAP have no funding caps while block-grant programs like LIHEAP run out of money before all eligible applicants are served. Louisiana's new Act 795 now requires nongovernmental organizations administering taxpayer-funded assistance to verify recipients' citizenship or immigration status and report enforcement outcomes, building on a 2025 state-agency verification law. Meanwhile, Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball warned Governor Andy Beshear the state risks losing federal funding after her office identified more than $1 billion in wasted taxpayer money over two and a half years tied to public-benefits fraud. Also, in this episode: California, Maryland, Connecticut, and New York have each passed laws restricting "convertible pistols" over Glock-switch conversion concerns, but gun-rights groups including the Second Amendment Foundation and NRA are suing New York, arguing the Supreme Court's Heller, Caetano, and Bruen rulings protect commonly used firearms from bans. A Biden-appointed federal judge has so far declined to block California's law despite a DOJ challenge, while a similar bill in Illinois passed committee but died when the legislative session ended; New York's law carries penalties up to seven years in prison. Teachers union executive pay: National Education Association President Rebecca Pringle earns about $514,000 annually and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten earns a comparable amount, with vice presidents at both unions also making six figures, compared to a $48,000 average teacher starting salary. Reporter Esther Wickham said the NEA collects roughly $454 million and the AFT about $274 million annually in member dues — funded through public-school payroll deductions — while national test scores show only about 30% of K-12 students are proficient in core subjects. Economist Orphe Divounguy said the U.S. is adding only about 34,000 jobs per month, less than a fifth of the historical average pace, with hiring concentrated in AI-related sectors and healthcare while quit rates stay low and inflation continues to outpace wage growth. Divounguy said elevated mortgage rates and rising housing inventory will likely keep building permits low even as some previously authorized housing units get started ahead of next year's selling season, with more clarity expected from this week's FOMC meeting minutes. Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming will hold primaries Tuesday, with Florida's new congressional map potentially flipping four Democratic-held seats. A study found Wisconsin hospitals charge 25.6% more than Illinois hospitals within the same company.   A Louisiana city marshal disputed an audit finding his conference travel expenses may violate the state constitution. Pennsylvania has yet to opt into a federal education tax credit program that 31 other states have joined. Plus, America's Talking: Florida: https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_e25713d9-d28e-4a27-96ab-463432ce71d3.html Wisconsin:  https://www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/article_c59e2dd6-a9ee-4f9f-92a7-e29ada33b41f.html Louisiana: https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_4b91d38a-a3c1-4eef-9c76-6995e1abe29f.html Pennsylvania: https://www.thecentersquare.com/pennsylvania/article_3598623c-7a58-4f39-93b8-c7b3d76c617b.html The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.