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Daily Audio Newscast Afternoon Update - April 7, 2025

© INDU BACHKHETI - iStock-1336427297

(Public News Service)

News from around the nation.

Audio file

Federal judge calls deportation of Salvadoran man in Maryland 'wholly lawless'; Wall Street slumps further as Trump defends tariffs; ME lawmakers consider expanding child tax credit as prices rise; Working people in WA call for higher taxes on the rich; MD automakers, health groups rally against delay in vehicle pollution standards.

Transcript

The Public News Service Monday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

A federal judge insisted Sunday that the Trump administration bring back a Maryland man who was accidentally deported to high security prison in El Salvador.

That from NBC News.

They report U.S. District Judge Paula Zinus Friday ordered the government to return green card holder Abrego Garcia to the U.S. by 1159 p.m. this evening.

On Saturday, Justice Department lawyers asked the judge to hold off while the administration appealed her order.

She refused and ruled defendants seized Garcia without any lawful authority, held him in three separate domestic detention centers without legal basis.

And from the New York Times, the S&P tumbled entering bear market territory after more losses in Asia and Europe.

President Trump said he would not back off his trade war, reinforcing fears of a global economic downturn.

Next to Maine, where lawmakers are considering legislation to provide financial relief to families with young children or dependent adults.

The bipartisan bill would double the current dependent exemption tax credit to provide $600 for each child under age six.

Ellison Weiss with Maine Equal Justice says the money would only go to families making less than $150,000 a year.

The bill pays for itself by phasing out the benefit for higher income earners and recaptures those savings so that we're giving low and middle income families a bigger benefit.

Some opponents of expanded tax credits say they could deter people from working.

A public hearing on the bill is scheduled for Tuesday.

I'm Catherine Carly.

And next to Washington, where lawmakers and Governor Ferguson disagree about how to address the state's $16 billion revenue shortfall.

The House and Senate have both passed budgets which would tax wealthy residents and corporations in order to balance the budget.

In contrast, Governor Ferguson's plan cuts social programs and furloughs employees to save the state $7 billion.

Jeffrey Gustavuson is with Firelands Workers United, an advocacy group for rural Washingtonians.

He says he supports lawmakers efforts to make the tax system more fair.

They're saying we should support working people.

And we're going to unlock new sources of money by increasing taxes on giant corporations and some of the wealthiest human beings in the face of the planet.

As budget negotiations move forward, Governor Ferguson called relying on untested taxes irresponsible.

I'm Isabel Charlay.

And a bill would effectively delay implementation of clean car and truck programs in Maryland, but electric vehicle manufacturers and health groups are urging lawmakers to reject the measure.

Ryan Galantine with Advanced Energy United says the legislation is a test for Maryland lawmakers as President Trump seeks to roll back vehicle standards.

This bill has a free talking point to the Trump administration will point to leaders in blue state Maryland who passed this bill is backtracking on EVs and as more evidence that blue state leadership is reckless on this House Bill 1556 would put programs on hold that require 43 percent of 2027 model year vehicles sold to be electric.

This is public news service.

We head next to Texas where after several weeks of public comment, those addressing school finance will be presented to the House of Representatives their House Bill two is the public school funding bill and Senate Bill two is the voucher proposal.

Shandra Villanueva with the nonprofit every Texan says the proposed voucher initiative which would provide students $10,000 to help pay for private school would hurt public schools and low income families.

Our schools are funded based on attendance.

So when kids leave the system, the schools will get less money until you can actually close the campus, you still have all of your same six costs around utilities, teachers, backers of school vouchers, including Governor Greg Abbott say public schools will not be negatively affected.

This is the second legislative session where Abbott has made a voucher program his top priority.

I'm Frida Ross reporting.

And Virginians who work at low wage jobs often don't have a workplace retirement plan so they can save money through payroll deductions.

The research by the economic innovation group finds rural workers are less likely to have an employer based retirement account compared to their urban counterparts among high income workers in both areas, the disparity narrows.

But overall, Sarah Eckhart with the economic innovation group says the gap between people in rural and urban settings who are offered a workplace retirement account is wide.

Over half of full time workers in rural areas do not have access to any kind of employer based retirement plan.

This number is only 40 percent for people who live in urban areas.

This is quite substantial and becomes even more salient when you look at the amount that people are actually able to save.

Eckhart's group is urging Congress to take up the retirement savings for Americans Act, the bill would create a retirement account for employees without one and offer tax credits for lower income workers as a matching contribution.

I'm Simone Perez.

Finally, Minnesota is considered a leader for community solar opportunities, but a successful state program expanding solar access would end in the next few years if a bill is signed into law.

Minnesota launched its community solar garden program in 2013, allowing people to link up to a shared array of exile energy solar panels and receive credits on their monthly energy bills.

North Mankato Democrat Senator Nick Friend supports a bill that would end the initiative in 2028.

He says he still wants the state to use more renewable energy, but feels continuing the program doesn't make economic sense.

Given Minnesota's commitment to 100 percent clean energy by 2040, we want clean energy technologies to compete on price and reliability.

Friend says the community solar program still relies on above market rates despite the decrease in cost of solar power.

I'm Mike Moen.

This is Mike Clifford.

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