New yahoo report says Ft. Myers among cities with highest poverty increase in nation (Cape Coral: real estate, foreclosure)

[inthecut]

US poverty on track to post record gain in 2009 - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100911/ap_on_bi_ge/us_poverty_in_america - broken link)

We need some good news..and things seem to be getting worse and worse..will we reach a point where Ft. Myers becomes 100% retirees?
Who will serve them when all the working age folks have bailed?
Will the seniors then leave as well?

[rikoshaprl]

There are plenty of cities with a much higher percentage of retirees than Fort Myers. Poverty levels are determined primarily by income levels. Fort Myers has always had lower incomes than many parts of the country.
"Poor persons in the United States have far higher living standards than the pubic imagines. Overall, the typical American defined as poor by the government has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave. He has two color televisions, cable or satellite TV reception, a VCR or DVD player, and a stereo. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry, and he had sufficient funds in the past year to meet his family's essential needs."
Poverty and Inequality | The Heritage Foundation

[hiknapster]

Of course the Heritage Foundation says that. They are a conservative "think tank" funded by rich individuals and corporations with an agenda. They make it sound like being "poor" is something to aspire to. They play fast and loose with the facts, though. They say these folks have all those things and are considered "poor" but they are not using the actual government standard for living in real poverty.

Originally Posted by rikoshaprl

There are plenty of cities with a much higher percentage of retirees than Fort Myers. Poverty levels are determined primarily by income levels. Fort Myers has always had lower incomes than many parts of the country.
"Poor persons in the United States have far higher living standards than the pubic imagines. Overall, the typical American defined as poor by the government has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave. He has two color televisions, cable or satellite TV reception, a VCR or DVD player, and a stereo. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry, and he had sufficient funds in the past year to meet his family's essential needs."
Poverty and Inequality | The Heritage Foundation

[rikoshaprl]

I'm sure the truth can be found at the Huffington Post. lol

[Izmack]

The unprecedented polarization of this country is certainly echoed on this forum. We're all too busy arguing with one another, taking things out of context, and being afraid of our neighbor's shadow that any true change or enlightenment is impossible to achieve. I truly believe that was the ultimate goal of the men on those planes 9 years ago. What a fitting memorial.

[hiknapster]

It is the goal of those rich individuals and corporations, too, and it works like a charm because it plays into people's greed and narcissism.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by rikoshaprl

I'm sure the truth can be found at the Huffington Post. lol

Why are you trying to turn this into something that it's not? WINK which is a local news channel reported that Fort Myers and Cape Coral have reached poverty levels not seen since the 1960s.

[URL="http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2010-09-12/Cape-CoralFort-Myers-poverty-increase-among-highest-in-US"]Cape Coral/Fort Myers poverty increase among highest in U.S.[/URL]

OTOH maybe you'll admit that this report is hitting the media only months before an important election. Bad news is good news for Republicans, since so many people have amnesia or short term memories about what & who drove us into this mess. You can't have it both ways.

[yoko]

Originally Posted by justNancy

Why are you trying to turn this into something that it's not? WINK which is a local news channel reported that Fort Myers and Cape Coral have reached poverty levels not seen since the 1960s.

Cape Coral/Fort Myers poverty increase among highest in U.S.

Such reports have negative effect on local real estate prices and that seems to be worse than facing poverty and homelessness among children!

[nhkev]

1/2 glass empty: fort myers area had one of the largest percentage increases in poverty.

1/2 glass full: the expected poverty level is 7% lower than the national average.

It is bad in many places Let's hope that We can turn this ship around and help take care of those that are struggling to take care of themselves.

Not sure if it against CD rules or not but maybe a thread for local charity events where people can donate $ and/or time.

[rikoshaprl]

The original post was about retirees leaving because locals can't find jobs. I think just the opposite will occur. More retirees will come creating more jobs (less poverty).

From the article-
"In 2008, the poverty level stood at $22,025 for a family of four, based on an official government calculation that includes only cash income before tax deductions. It excludes capital gains or accumulated wealth. It does not factor in non-cash government aid such as tax credits or food stamps, which have surged to record levels in recent years under the federal stimulus program".

I was saying that $22,000 is not a lot of money in Cape Coral but it is much less in other areas such as NYC because of the higher cost of living in those places. So the premise of the poverty level being worse in CC is flawed. Plus more gov't money has been allocated to the areas that have had the worst foreclosure problems and this is not reflected in the poverty level.

I have to agree with Nancy that the democrats have done a poor job with the economy since taking control of congress in 2006 and they will pay in the upcoming elections.