Tuesday, April 17, 2012
For Economists Saez and Piketty, the Buffett Rule Is Just a Start - NYTimes.com
For Economists Saez and Piketty, the Buffett Rule Is Just a Start - NYTimes.com this is a great article
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
letter was in newsday
Letter: Island needs new poverty cutoff
Published: October 5, 2011 5:5
I am writing in regards to recent reports that poverty is on the rise ["Poverty line leaves out too many," Opinion, Oct. 3]. I agree with Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy that it is time to consider regionalizing the federal poverty line. To think that a family of four can survive on $21,100 in Suffolk County is ridiculous.
The bare minimum income needed is at least $30,000 as I have illustrated in the following monthly budget: rent, $1,500; transportation, $200; food, $400; phone and Internet service, $100; water, $40; Long Island Power Authority, $100; National Grid, $100; clothes, $150. The total is $30,480 per year after taxes.
Note that I have not included child-care costs or health insurance.
The federal poverty line is used to determine who can receive benefits. If a family of four makes $21,200 they are not eligible for a full welfare case. It gets worse. If that family income is $27,560, the family is not even eligible for food stamps.
Even now, there are some areas which have been regionalized: Alaska and Hawaii have different poverty guidelines that reflect the real cost of living in those areas.
Regionalizing would make a drastic change in the lives of families on Long Island, affecting their eligibility for more than 32 government financial assistance programs, including food stamps, health care and child care.
The original guidelines were developed in 1963 and were based on family spending for food. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, food now comprises only one-seventh of an average family's expenses, while the costs of housing, child care, health care and transportation have grown disproportionately. The current poverty guidelines have little bearing on the cost of family necessities.
It is time to take a serious look at changing the method of determining poverty levels, because we need to provide our families with the assistance they need to get through these difficult economic times.
Peter Barnett, Sayville
Editor's note: The writer is on the board of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless.
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4
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Published: October 5, 2011 5:5
I am writing in regards to recent reports that poverty is on the rise ["Poverty line leaves out too many," Opinion, Oct. 3]. I agree with Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy that it is time to consider regionalizing the federal poverty line. To think that a family of four can survive on $21,100 in Suffolk County is ridiculous.
The bare minimum income needed is at least $30,000 as I have illustrated in the following monthly budget: rent, $1,500; transportation, $200; food, $400; phone and Internet service, $100; water, $40; Long Island Power Authority, $100; National Grid, $100; clothes, $150. The total is $30,480 per year after taxes.
Note that I have not included child-care costs or health insurance.
The federal poverty line is used to determine who can receive benefits. If a family of four makes $21,200 they are not eligible for a full welfare case. It gets worse. If that family income is $27,560, the family is not even eligible for food stamps.
Even now, there are some areas which have been regionalized: Alaska and Hawaii have different poverty guidelines that reflect the real cost of living in those areas.
Regionalizing would make a drastic change in the lives of families on Long Island, affecting their eligibility for more than 32 government financial assistance programs, including food stamps, health care and child care.
The original guidelines were developed in 1963 and were based on family spending for food. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, food now comprises only one-seventh of an average family's expenses, while the costs of housing, child care, health care and transportation have grown disproportionately. The current poverty guidelines have little bearing on the cost of family necessities.
It is time to take a serious look at changing the method of determining poverty levels, because we need to provide our families with the assistance they need to get through these difficult economic times.
Peter Barnett, Sayville
Editor's note: The writer is on the board of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless.
User rating:
4
(2) Click to rate
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Does it pay to get off welfare?
Written by Peter and Judith Barnett
An examination of a budget when a mom and her children move off of welfare compared to a
budget while on welfare will answer that question.
Did you know that 1.3 million children will be homeless sometime during this year and 9
million children are without health insurance? Additionally, since 1999, food insecurity
has increased by 3 millions households, including 1.4 million households that include
children. Why is this occurring?
We suggest that it is because people who have successfully moved out of the
"poverty" level are not making enough money to feed, house or care for their children.
The welfare rules cut a family off from their housing and grant benefits once the family
has reached the poverty level. For a family of three that amount is $16,000 a year. in our
program we have a woman who is earning $700 a month which is below the poverty
level. She also receives housing assistance, food stamps and a grant for a total of
$1,225 in benefits. In order to house, feed and care for her children the woman’s'
budget looks like this:
Food stamps 174
Grant 157
Housing Allowance 894
Sub Total 1225
Work Income 700
TOTAL 1925
Her annual income while on welfare is $23,100. Yet if she reaches the poverty threshold
for a family of three which is only $16, 600 and her case will be closed. Even the
department of social service seems to know that she needs more than $16,600 to live
but they cut her off. How is this mother going to be able to make up the $6500 she loses
when her case is closed?
If she does not have a college education, more than likely she will not be able to make
what she needs to care for herself and her children. Citing that there are 1.6 million
fewer children in poverty is nothing to brag about when those children are homeless,
hungry and without medical care.
People on welfare need an education and the financial support that truly provides a
safety net and a means to become economically self sufficient not just above the
poverty line. The welfare reform policies need to be changed. Our nation has done a
disservice to out families, to our children.
An examination of a budget when a mom and her children move off of welfare compared to a
budget while on welfare will answer that question.
Did you know that 1.3 million children will be homeless sometime during this year and 9
million children are without health insurance? Additionally, since 1999, food insecurity
has increased by 3 millions households, including 1.4 million households that include
children. Why is this occurring?
We suggest that it is because people who have successfully moved out of the
"poverty" level are not making enough money to feed, house or care for their children.
The welfare rules cut a family off from their housing and grant benefits once the family
has reached the poverty level. For a family of three that amount is $16,000 a year. in our
program we have a woman who is earning $700 a month which is below the poverty
level. She also receives housing assistance, food stamps and a grant for a total of
$1,225 in benefits. In order to house, feed and care for her children the woman’s'
budget looks like this:
Food stamps 174
Grant 157
Housing Allowance 894
Sub Total 1225
Work Income 700
TOTAL 1925
Her annual income while on welfare is $23,100. Yet if she reaches the poverty threshold
for a family of three which is only $16, 600 and her case will be closed. Even the
department of social service seems to know that she needs more than $16,600 to live
but they cut her off. How is this mother going to be able to make up the $6500 she loses
when her case is closed?
If she does not have a college education, more than likely she will not be able to make
what she needs to care for herself and her children. Citing that there are 1.6 million
fewer children in poverty is nothing to brag about when those children are homeless,
hungry and without medical care.
People on welfare need an education and the financial support that truly provides a
safety net and a means to become economically self sufficient not just above the
poverty line. The welfare reform policies need to be changed. Our nation has done a
disservice to out families, to our children.
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