Citizens’ Voices

A Partnership of Local Citizens

Indicators Project: Economy

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“Sustainable Seattle” lists 10 economic indicators:

• Energy use per dollar income
• Employment concentration
• Unemployment
• Distribution of personal income
• Health care expenditures
• Work required for basic needs
• Housing affordability
• Children living in poverty
• Emergency room use for non-ER purposes
• Community reinvestment

In addition, at the Citizens’ Voices meeting on 27 January, these indicators were also suggested:

• Housing stock
• Self-employed businesses/entrepreneurs
• Wages

Indicators

• Employment and unemployment rates
• Liveable wage jobs
• Distribution of household income (% on housing, % medical care, % childcare, etc.)
• Diversity of manufacturing & industry
• Outsourcing
• # on fixed income
• Children in poverty
• Activity at foodshelf, multichurch center, Salvation Army food supports
• Community reinvestment

The coordinator for this group is Kathy Sheran (sheran@myclearwave.net )

Other members of the group include

R.S. Nithy

Bruce Birkemeyer

Joan Kelly

Anthony Zaragoza

Darrel Olson

The next meeting for this group is

Not set

The Web discussion site for this group is

Not yet developed

For more information contact Kathy Sheran (sheran@myclearwave.net )

Poverty Levels

Description

Poverty is a global issue. It affects the world, the nations, and the communities. There are 6 billion people on this planet, and the numbers of those dying, starving, and simply struggling to survive and make ends meet are astounding. These are the silent afflicted people of our nations who have found themselves in financial despair for many different reasons. The fact is, these are the people of our world who can make tomorrow beautiful- if someone can help them in our today.

Definition

The basis of whether a person or family is living in poverty is determined through two forms of measurements: poverty thresholds (needs of a person or family) and the family income compared to the thresholds. If the income of the family is less than that of the thresholds for the family then they are considered living in poverty. The number of people in the family and the age of each person also play a role in whether the family is living in poverty.

Interpretation

The number of people living in poverty in the Blue Earth County area has been inconsistent over the past six years, however the past three years there has been a steady increase. The number of people living in poverty was at its highest during the years 1997-1998. Then the next two years there was a dramatic decrease in the number of people living in poverty. In the years of 2001 and 2002 there was yet another increase. However these statistics do not account for institutionalized people, people in the military, those living in college dorms, and individuals under the age of 15. Had the number of teenage runaways and college students under the poverty level, the statistics would be much higher.

Evaluation

The changing waves of the economy are ever increasing, and it is our prediction that this will increase the rate of poverty in America. With the cause and effect of such things as inflation, Social Security benefits (or lack thereof), American factories on foreign soil, costs of daily living, gas prices/traveling expense it appears as though the number of peoples in poverty will only increase.

Linkages

As the level of Economical Sufficiency fluctuates, so too does the level of people living in poverty. The sustainability of our nation (and the rest of the world) depends on the financial welfare of the people. The taxation systems newly implemented are causing our working middle class to decrease, thus making the rich, richer; and the poor, poorer. This will make it inevitably harder for the poor to rise above their class and sustain themselves to sustain our community.

Back to URSI Home page Revised 8/17/05