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"She also said that the Saver's Tax Credit, aimed at boosting the incentive for low-income people to put aside money for retirement, should be simplified and made refundable, meaning taxpayers would receive the value of the credit even if it results in a net refund from the government. The credit is underused now, not only because low-income people have little money to save but also because it provides little incentive to low-income people who already pay little in taxes."

"Senior Concerns in Thousand Oaks, a nonprofit that provides an adult day program for seniors with dementia and other special needs, recently was awarded a $150,000 grant from the Weingart Foundation. 'One area of particular interest to the Weingart Foundation is older adults,' said Andrea Gallagher, president of Senior Concerns, which has received grant funding from the foundation in the past. 'We are very delighted with this tremendous new grant.'...The money will help to maintain and sustain the nonprofit's core services, particularly those for low-income seniors, she said. It also will allow Senior Concerns to add programs for growth in coming years, she said."

"Local educators are pushing to expand and enrich preschools for low-income children this year after budget cuts have left Ventura County serving only half of eligible kids. A group of 100 parents, teachers and county officials met Thursday afternoon at an El Rio preschool to discuss the problem and what's being done to help."

"What sets the connector apart are its deviated routes,' which benefit riders who can't get to an established bus stop, Kinney said. It offers riders the option of scheduling a pickup at their house or another location. A reservation 24 hours ahead of time is required, and the route is limited to two deviations per hour within a half-mile of the regular route."

"Gov. Jerry Brown has thrown down a gauntlet to California legislators, challenging them to dramatically change the way schools are funded -- by giving more new money to districts with a high percentage of low-income and English learners than to other districts."

"Rebuilding Together Washington County, a nonprofit based out of Beaverton, will provide supplies and labor to reroof the Meekins' house and repair dry rot in the floor. The countywide organization fixes up houses for low-income homeowners, with a particular focus on elderly or disabled citizens, veterans or families with children."

"A solid majority of Californians support Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to direct more funds to poor school districts and those with large enrollments of students learning English, according to a new poll."

"Sequestration already has forced cutbacks for the meals program that is a lifeline for some older residents. It will mean less money for our public schools with high percentages of low-income students. But it's Head Start that probably best illustrates the way we spend federal money, our generosity to older people and our stinginess to the young."

"The Off-to-College Campaign for homeless students begun in Tacoma last year is expanding this year to include students in four other Pierce County school districts: Puyallup, Bethel, Clover Park and Franklin Pierce. The goal is to help equip 100 local homeless youth with items they'll need at college: laptops, software, flash drives, sticky notes, highlighter pens, toiletries and more."

"Two Democrats and two Republicans are sponsors of a measure filed Monday that would create opportunity scholarship grants' of up to $4,200 per year for students whose families earn of up to three times the federal poverty level. The bill sets aside $90 million over two years for the program."

"The future of Bright Futures isn't all that bright. Tough new standards will keep significantly more high school graduates from obtaining the state's merit-based scholarship. It's almost as if to save Bright Futures, state leaders are going out of their way to destroy it, especially for minority and low-income students."

"Exact figures won't be known until May, but projected 5 percent to 10 percent reductions to Title I funding for low-income students, special education, Head Start and other programs for the 2013-14 school year could threaten funding for nearly 300 teacher and staff positions and may require trimming programs, district officials said."