Bloomberg Seeks New Way to Decide Who Is Poor

[Flabbergasted]

By LESLIE KAUFMAN
Published: December 30, 2007

The Bloomberg administration, frustrated by the federal government’s Great Society method of determining who is poor, is developing its own measure, which city officials say will offer a more modern and accurate picture of poverty.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg wants to adopt the new measure in part so he can better assess whether the tens of millions of dollars the city plans to spend on new anti-poverty programs will improve poor people’s standard of living.

But officials also hope the new measure will set off a nationwide re-examination of the current federal standard, and prompt other cities and states to adopt the city’s method.

The 42-year-old federal poverty standard, which is pegged to the annual cost of buying basic groceries, is widely viewed as outdated and off-target. The city’s formula would take into account the money families must spend annually on necessities including rent, utilities and child care. But it would also factor in the value of financial assistance received, like housing vouchers or food stamps.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/nyregion/30poverty.html?hp

[napi21]

1. Bloomburg's plan sounds better to me than the current method.

Rent, utilities, child care needs vary greatly from State to State, and even areas within each State. I'm sure there's a big diff. in the cost of food in different places too.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. I read that this morning

In the Times . . . my thoughts are here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3118673&mesg_id=3119141