New York to Change Measure of Poverty

December 10, 2007

New York to Change Measure of Poverty

New York is attempting to change how it — and possibly the rest of
America — defines poverty.

The formula that is commonly used to measure poverty and determines who has access to government health care and other services, has long been regarded as the social-science version of the Edsel — an idea that was flawed when it was created.

In New York, Mark Levitan, director of poverty research for the city’s Center for Economic Opportunity, is trying to rework the formula using recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences.

According to an interview with City Limits, an urban-affairs magazine in New York, Mr. Levitan said that the current way to measure poverty, which was created in the 1960s, focuses on whether a family can pay for basic needs, such as food, shelter, and clothes. But this fails to capture all of what people need, such as access to information.

“Now you may have enough food to eat, you may be able to keep a roof over your head, but your ability to participate in your community, in the political life of your city, of your country, to understand what’s happening in your child’s school, because that information is being posted on the Internet, all these things are closed to you,” he said. “And so the poverty threshold needs to reflect the rising standard of living in the society as well.”

Mr. Levitan declined to speculate on whether the new measurement will lead to more people being considered poor in New York.

Mr. Levitan said that in six months the city expects to release its
revised version of the poverty rate and he hopes that the federal
government adopts it.

What do you think? How should poverty be measured? How will it affect charities if the poverty rate is redefined, which will likely lead to a larger number of Americans being considered impoverished? Click on the comments link below to share your thoughts.

— Ian Wilhelm

Commenting is closed for this article.

Previous: Minnesota Supreme Court Property-Tax Ruling Worries Charities
Next: Should Congress Act to Curb Fund-Raising Abuses?