Open, Accountable Government

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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Economy and Jobs Watch: CBO Projecting Large Deficits

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) today released their baseline budget estimates for 2005-2014. The analysis shows that in 2004 deficits will likely reach $477 billion - which is 4.2% of GDP - and that deficits will continue over the next decade, reaching a cumulative $1.9 trillion baseline over the next 10 years.

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Economy and Jobs Watch: Lowering the Deficit Bar

According to the president's State of the Union address, the administration claims it will "cut the deficit in half over the next five years."

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And Onward to the Budget Battles Ahead

President Bush's FY 2005 budget will be released on Monday, Feb. 2 with the promise of a difficult budget process ahead.

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Cutting the Deficit?

Jan 21, 2004 by Guest Blogger

According to the President's State of the Union speech, the current administration claims it will "cut the deficit in half over the next five years."

This is a shift from just 6 months ago when the administration was claiming that "the budget deficit is expected to be cut by more than half by 2006."

In fact, administration policies are unlikely to cut the deficit in half EVER.

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WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TAX AND BUDGET ISSUES?

Jan 16, 2004 by Guest Blogger

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TAX AND BUDGET ISSUES? OMB WATCH wants to hear from you.

Over the past months, nonprofits from across the country have been telling us about the adverse consequences of federal and state budget cuts. OMB Watch is issuing a call to action to nonprofits for a long-term campaign to take the offensive on tax and budget issues -- a campaign about what we are for, not just what we are against.

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OMB WATCH WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TAX AND BUDGET PRIORITIES? Over the past months, nonprofits from across the country have been telling us about the adverse consequences of federal and state budget cuts. OMB Watch is issuing a call to action to nonprofits for a long-term campaign to take the offensive on tax and budget issues - a campaign about what we are for, not just what we are against. Three main elements of this campaign might include: 1) fair tax policies that provide adequate revenue, 2) support for vital government services and investments, and 3) a re-examination of the positive role of the federal government. Now we want to hear from you. We are conducting an exciting new Internet survey.

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New Watcher Articles

Jan 12, 2004 by Guest Blogger

OMB Watch - The Watcher - January 12, 2003 Vol.5 No.1 -

FEDERAL BUDGET --------------

*Needs UP, Services DOWN

*Economy and Jobs Watch: Unemployment Down, No New Jobs

*Economy and Jobs Watch: Long-term Budget Choices

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Comments on Peer Review Bulletin Reveal Strong Opposition

A majority of the near 200 comments received by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on its Draft Peer Review Bulletin opposed the proposal, calling for its complete withdrawal.

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Economy and Jobs Watch: Long-term Budget Choices

Several new reports have pointed to the weakness of the long-run U.S. fiscal situation. A wide range of observers -- from independent analysts to conservative think-tanks, from international aid organizations to congressional analysts, and even from the administration itself -- are all pointing to the fact that current tax and budget policy is not sustainable. (See links below).

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Economy and Jobs Watch: Unemployment Down, No New Jobs

With a strong quarter of economic growth in the July-September period, many observers were expecting to see employment strengthen in the last part of 2003. However, as recent economic data shows, the labor market remains very weak, as employment was “flat” last month.

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