Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, April 14, 2016
Appleseed: Hawaii’s Poor Need a Tax Cut
By News Release @ 2:25 PM :: 7550 Views :: Hawaii Statistics, Tax Credits, Taxes, Cost of Living

State of Poverty 2016

From Hawaii Appleseed Center, April, 2016

In April 2016, the Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice released a report entitled “The State of Poverty in Hawai‘i: How Hawai‘i’s Residents Are Faring Post-Recovery.” The report brings together the most recent available data to provide a snapshot of how low-income residents have fared after the economic recovery.

While some indicators have improved, families continue to struggle. Hawai‘i has the highest cost of living but the lowest wages in the country when adjusted for the amount of money it takes for a family to get by in Hawai‘i:

Poverty: Hawai‘i has the 6th highest rate of poverty in the country under the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which factors in both the cost of living and available government assistance. Rates of children in poverty have yet to return to pre-recession levels.

Tax burden: Nationally, Hawai‘i has not only the 2nd highest effective tax rate on low-income households, but also levies the 2nd highest income tax burden on families in poverty.

Housing: Hawai‘i faces both the highest cost of housing and rate of homelessness in the states.

Hunger: 1 in 8 residents faces food insecurity, forcing families to make difficult tradeoffs.

Education: 52% of public school students are economically disadvantaged, which diminishes students’ educational achievement, even if they receive high-quality educational services.

Key recommendations in the report include boosting income and reducing the state tax burden on working families through policies such as a continuing to raise the minimum wage, a state earned income tax credit, and an improved low-income household renters’ credit.

Also highlighted are innovative housing policies, including shallow rental subsidies, more funding for affordable homes, expansion of Housing First, and inclusionary zoning.

To reduce hunger and help children, the report endorses improving access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the adoption of new school breakfast models, investments in early childhood education, and increased financial support for our schools.

Read the full report here.

---30---

PBN: Hawaii ranks 6th in the nation for poverty

HNN: Hawaii's economic recovery hasn't helped state's poorest

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii