ARCHES

Problem

The United States is in the midst of an economic crisis and global pandemic that has drained our nation’s resources. Cities are expected to face a $360 billion shortfall and 70% have received no aid from the CARES Act. Roughly 40 states are legally unable to run a budget deficit to continue essential services as their tax revenues collapse.

Action

The ARCHES plan has been designed to build the bridge from where the United States is now to a more resilient, prosperous future for all Americans. ARCHES has the potential to garner support from both conservative and progressive governors and mayors from across the country, many of whom face massive fiscal shortfalls. 

Solution

The centerpiece of ARCHES is a scalable and flexible framework for making simultaneous, large-scale essential investments in our healthcare system, economic recovery, and climate solutions. ARCHES would fund all of these new investments through a steadily increasing fee on climate pollution paid by corporate polluters rather than consumers. 

Through ARCHES, our nation would mobilize  $2.3 trillion by 2030.

 

"ARCHES, a new policy proposal from Robert Perkowitz and Nigel Purvis, is a plan for creating a strong, resilient and inclusive recovery from COVID-19. ARCHES stands for the American Recovery for Climate, Health, and Economic Stability. Through ARCHES, America would mobilize trillions over a decade to prevent future pandemics, reboot the U.S. economy, generate millions of good, resilient jobs for working and underserved families, and reduce U.S. climate pollution by more than half by 2030."

Robert Perkowitz, EcoAmerica & Nigel Purvis, Climate Advisers

Read the ARCHES Proposal

The ARCHES plan uses 75 percent of new revenues for block grants to states and cities to spend locally to create heathy, clean, and thriving communities. The plan leaves 25 percent of funding available for the Congress to allocate on a combination of deficit reduction and new Federal investments in healthcare, climate action, and job creation.

ARCHES Benefits

Support State  & Local Authorities

Support Federal Needs

Invest in our healthcare heroes and hospitals

Invest in our healthcare heroes and hospitals

Develop a more educated workforce to strengthen economy

Develop a more educated workforce to strengthen economy

National training programs for jobs of tomorrow

National training programs for jobs of tomorrow

Invest in disaster relief and pandemic prevention

Invest in disaster relief and pandemic prevention

Create new, good jobs revitalizing America's infrastructure

Create new, good jobs revitalizing America's infrastructure

Provide support to households and communities ensuring equitable outcomes

Provide support to households and communities ensuring equitable outcomes

Reduce payroll taxes to provide relief to working families

Reduce payroll taxes to provide relief to working families

Support clean tech R&D for climate solutions and create jobs for the future

Support clean tech R&D for climate solutions and create jobs for the future

Invest in resilience to health, climate and economic disasters

Invest in resilience to health, climate and economic disasters

Rejuvenate essential services budgets for our communities

Rejuvenate essential services budgets for our communities

Reduce the federal debt to unburden future generations

Reduce the federal debt to unburden future generations

Improve air quality to save lives and reduce climate pollution 50% by 2030

Improve air quality to save lives and reduce climate pollution 50% by 2030