More State Poverty Data: What’s Next?
April 26th, 2011
An article last week from the website 24/7 Wall St. reported that Mississippi is one of the ten worst states when it comes to income inequality—ranking 6th. It reported that Mississippi “has the greatest percentage of households making below $30,000 a year, 42.53 percent, and the smallest percentage of households making $200,000 or more, 1.54 percent.” It also reported that Mississippi’s poverty rate increased from 2007-2009.
It is nothing new to hear about poverty in Mississippi, and it is something that can easily make us feel overwhelmed. The challenge begins with how to respond. Some of the recent work from the Mississippi Economic Policy Center (MEPC) includes suggestions for efforts to help working families improve educational attainment, build assets, and move up the economic ladder.
First, the MEPC’s most recent report, “Making Mississippi Competitive: Solutions For Building Assets In Low-Wealth Communities,” suggests a variety of ways that bankers, policymakers, and families can create an environment to facilitate saving among Mississippi’s working families that ultimately builds wealth.
Secondly, “Building Pathways to Credentials and Careers: Strengthening Mississippi’s Workforce by Connecting Adults to Postsecondary Credentials and Family-sustaining Careers,” discusses the importance of postsecondary education and how to make it more accessible for Mississippi’s working families.
Finally, a recent update on the state’s tax system highlights how the system exacerbates the state’s income inequality, and the MEPC’s revenue options provide recommendations for how to improve the system.
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