Poverty, homelessness rising sharply among Florida students, By Mc Nelly Torres, February 11, 2012, Miami Herald: “Since the economy collapsed in 2008, Florida’s student population has become poorer each year – with almost all school districts in the state experiencing spikes in the number of kids who qualify for subsidized meals. Children have become homeless at alarming numbers as well. Homelessness among school-age children has soared from 30,878 in the 2006-07 school year to 56,680 in 2010-11. Homelessness for children of all ages, including those too young for public school, was 83,957 in 2010-11, up from 49,886 in 2006-07. The adverse effects of the economic downturn are having a significant impact on Florida’s public school system, in which over 56 percent of students enrolled in the 2010-2011 school year qualified for subsidized meals. The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting analyzed data relating to poverty rates, homeless students and subsidized meals for all school districts before the financial crisis began up to and through the 2010-11 school year. The widespread increase in these three poverty indicators paints a picture of a state that has become much poorer after the Great Recession…”
Day: February 14, 2012
Poverty Rate – Nigeria
Nigerians living in poverty rise to nearly 61%, February 13, 2012, BBC News: “Poverty has risen in Nigeria, with almost 100 million people living on less than a $1 (£0.63) a day, despite economic growth, statistics have shown. The National Bureau of Statistics said 60.9% of Nigerians in 2010 were living in ‘absolute poverty’ – this figure had risen from 54.7% in 2004. The bureau predicted this rising trend was likely to continue. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer but the sector has been tainted by accusations of corruption. According to the report, absolute poverty is measured by the number of people who can afford only the bare essentials of shelter, food and clothing…”
Earned Income Tax Credit – Connecticut, Michigan
- State tax credit for the working poor in heavy demand, By Keith M. Phaneuf, February 13, 2012, Connecticut Mirror: “More than 70,000 Connecticut households took advantage of a new tax credit for the working poor during just the first month of state income tax filings, according to the Department of Revenue Services. The claims filed under the new state Earned Income Tax Credit were hailed both by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration and a leading private, nonprofit anti-poverty group as evidence of the new program’s necessity as well as its success…”
- Tax refund is vital chunk of annual budget for many people, By Susan Tompor, February 9, 2012, Detroit Free Press: “For Ola Jones, 53, her federal income tax refund typically amounts to more than an extra paycheck each year. It’s a vital part of her annual budget and a way to cover extra bills and necessities. ‘Right now, I need a washing machine and tires for my car,’ said Jones, who stood in line one snowy Saturday morning in late January to obtain free tax-preparation help at Focus: HOPE in Detroit. Her daughter, Tujuana Jones, 19, also received free tax-preparation help, offered that day by volunteers from the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants. The student, who attends Wayne County Community College District and works at Rainbow Clothing in Detroit, planned to go shopping with her $500 tax refund. For lower-income families, the tax season kickoff is a time to catch up with bills and rebuild some savings. The federal earned income tax credit and other Michigan-related tax credits offer a powerful punch for limited budgets…”