Poverty 2000

Poverty 2000 NEWS CENTER ON BUDGET RELEASE AND POLICY PRIORITIES 820 First Street, NE Suite 510 Washington, DC 20002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Robert Greenstein, Tel: 202-408-1080 Tuesday, September 26, 2000 Wendell Primus, Jim Jaffe Fax: 202-408-1056 (202) 408-1080 [email protected] www.cbpp.org Robert Greenstein POVERTY RATE HITS LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 1979 Executive Director AS UNEMPLOYMENT REACHES A 30-YEAR LOW Iris J. Lav Deputy Director The percentage of Americans living in poverty declined to 11.8 percent in 1999, the Board of Directors lowest poverty rate since 1979, as poverty rates for people 65 and over, African- Americans, and people living in the South fell to all-time lows. Poverty rates for John R. Kramer, Chair Tulane Law School non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics fell to levels statistically equal to the previous all- Henry J. Aaron time lows for these groups. The poverty rate for children dropped to 16.9 percent, Brookings Institution its lowest level since 1979, although it remained above its record low. Douglas L. Becker Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc The Census data also show that median household income reached a new high in Barbara B. Blum 1999. Columbia University David de Ferranti The World Bank "This excellent news seems primarily to reflect the effects of the lowest Marian Wright Edelman unemployment rate since 1969, as well as rising wages," said Robert Greenstein, Children's Defense Fund director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. "The Census report James O. Gibson demonstrates the power of the beneficial effects of a strong economy and especially DC Agenda of a low unemployment rate." Beatrix Hamburg, M.D. Cornell Medical College The Census report shows that the reduction in poverty in 1999 was concentrated in Frank Mankiewicz Hill and Knowlton the nation's cities, with 81 percent of the decline in poverty between 1998 and 1999 occurring in the cities, as distinguished from suburbs and non-metropolitan areas. Richard P. Nathan Nelson A Rockefeller Institute The number of poor people nationally fell by 2.2 million, from 34.5 million to 32.3 of Government million. Some 1.8 million of this 2.2 million drop occurred in the cities. Marion Pines Johns Hopkins University The picture the new data paint becomes still brighter in certain respects when a Sol Price Chairman, The Price Company broader measure of poverty favored by many analysts is used. The broader measure (Retired) includes non-cash benefits and the Earned Income Tax Credit and subtracts income Robert D. Reischauer and payroll taxes. Under the broader measure, the child poverty rate fell last year Urban Institute below its 1979 level. The year 1979 is the first year for which this more- Audrey Rowe Lockheed Martin, IMS comprehensive poverty measure is available. Susan Sechler Rockefeller Foundation Amidst this positive news, some areas of concern emerge from the Census report. Juan Sepulveda, Jr. The Census data show that while the number of poor children has fallen markedly in The Common Experience/ recent years, those who remain poor have, on average, grown poorer. The San Antonio William Julius Wilson Harvard University - more F:\media\michelle\POSTINGS\9-26-00pov-pdf.wpc