25% of N.J. residents lived in poverty in 2010, study shows

[DAVE MAKKAR]

 

Nearly a quarter of N.J. residents lived in poverty in 2010, study shows

Published: Sunday, May 20, 2012, 6:15 AM Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012, 8:36 AM

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/nearly_a_quarter_of_nj_residen.html

TRENTON — New Jersey may be among the richest states in the nation, but a record number of Garden State residents lived in poverty during 2010, according to a report scheduled to be released today.

Nearly a quarter of the state’s population — more than 2 million residents — was considered poor, the annual survey by Legal Services of New Jersey found. About 150,000 people slipped into poverty in 2010, even though the great recession ended a year earlier, the report said.

 

And experts say more recent unemployment numbers show that the trend of increasing poverty likely continued into this year.

“The especially disturbing thing is now a couple of years after the great recession, poverty has increased,” said Melville D. Miller Jr., president of Legal Services. “Our calculations suggest that this is really now at the highest level.”

 

The report defines being poor as making less than $36,620 for a family of three — twice the federal poverty rate because New Jersey has such a high cost of living.

Families headed by single mothers, as well as children and young adults have especially struggled, the report found.

The number of 18- to 24-year-olds who lived in a household defined as poor in 2010 has increased 39.1 percent since 2006.

And the unemployment rate for 20- to 24-year-olds rose from 8.8 percent in 2008 to 14.8 percent in 2011. According to figures released last week, New Jersey’s total unemployment rate is 9.1 percent, compared with the national average of 8.1 percent.

 

“These are people who are ready to work, who need to work,” Miller said. “We really need to address that much more urgently.”

 

BY THE NUMBERS

The report also said 619,003 children are considered poor, under the yardstick Legal Services uses.

Cecilia Zalkind, president of Advocates for Children of New Jersey, said this represents a third of New Jersey children.

“That’s a pretty shocking statistic,” she said. “While the state may be in the beginnings of the economic recovery, it’s going to take far longer for low-income families or individuals to bounce back.”

 

The report said in five counties — Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Atlantic and Cumberland — more than 30 percent of residents are defined as poor.

Among towns with more than 20,000 people, Camden had the highest percentage of poor residents in 2010, at 62.9 percent. More than half of the residents of Newark, New Brunswick, Passaic, Atlantic City, Bridgeton, Lakewood, Paterson and Trenton were considered poor.

 

The number of Hispanics in New Jersey living under the federal poverty line increased 29.3 percent from 2005 to 2010. The report found 19.9 percent of Hispanics were poor, compared with 18.9 percent of African-Americans and 5.8 percent of whites.

 

Miller said what’s happening in New Jersey mirrors many national trends in poverty and unemployment.

But he added it may be felt more in New Jersey, usually ranked among the richest states in the nation, because it’s more expensive to live here. New Jersey ranked second in the country in household income last year.

 

“When poverty increases, when recession hits, the pain and the difficulty of life for people in New Jersey is much more challenging than most states because of that high cost of living,” Miller said.

 

GOVERNMENT HELP

The report suggests changes the state could make to address the problem, such as increasing coordination among state departments that address aspects of poverty, like health and housing. It also recommended raising the minimum wage, which lawmakers have proposed.

 

Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) made raising the minimum wage from the federal minimum of $7.25 to $8.50 one of her first priorities in the new legislative session in January. The bill was advanced by committees in both houses of the Legislature, and the full Assembly will vote on it Thursday, according to Tom Hester Jr., spokesman for the Assembly Democrats.

“This is a recognition that thousands of households in New Jersey are struggling to subsist on minimum wage jobs that do not allow them to support their families,” Oliver said. “This is about livable wages for the lowest-income earners, and quite simply, we should all support livable wages.”

 

Gov. Chris Christie has said he is willing to consider a minimum wage increase but has expressed concerns about its impact on business. His office declined comment on the report.

The report also recommends restoring the Earned Income Tax Credit, a popular anti-poverty tax credit for the working poor. Christie cut it in his first two years but wants to restore the credit for the state budget that takes effect in July.

 

About $280 million would be spent over two years under Christie’s budget plan, an average $550 refund.

The report’s findings will be discussed tomorrow at a poverty summit in Trenton, where anti-poverty advocates, New Jersey residents and state and local policymakers will talk about employment and hunger issues.

 

The summit, led by the advocacy group Anti-Poverty Network, will also make recommendations on Christie’s proposed budget.

“The challenge for this administration is just that this economy is just so much worse,” Miller said. “The need to consider bold new steps is heightened.”

This is the sixth annual report released by Legal Services, a group that provides free legal assistance to low-income New Jerseyans for civil problems. The report is based off of 2010 Census data, the most recent available.

 

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New Jersey WORLD'S most corrupt & racist state with largest per capita deficit, most elected representatives, employees & attorneys per sq mile in the world.

 

Majority of us think India is very corrupt democracy but that's not the case. You may be right that there is too much corruption in India still all the states in India are less corrupt than the state of New Jersey in America . Most disgusting is NJ is legally corrupt and legally racially segregated under Unionized Rulers posing as Politicians, Bureaucrats, Judges, Law Enforcement, Religious, Media and Business Leaders. They call NJ style governance Home Rule which in my opinion is nothing but a Gang Rule for An Employment Scheme for the Unionized Gang Members, their friends and Relatives. In Indian context it can be called Netaji Rojgar Yojna.

 

8,721 sq miles New Jersey for 8.5 mil residents is the worst example of racial segregation, moral and ethical corruption with over 9,000 Elected officials & 466,000 state/local employees. 32% of the population lives in 29 colored Towns and rest 68% lives in 537 white Towns. Yet no one mention the word "Race" in this state.

 

NJ is a very small state, yet it is overpopulated not with people, but with government in fact with governments. It has 25 times more Municipalities, School Boards and personals. Then it has 20 times more Elected officials. Here Politicians, can have 2-3 salaries, can be in the legislative and executive branch as well as can hold no show state/county/Municipal jobs to build a hefty pension to legally loot the tax payers. In this category First prize goes to Democrat Nicholas Sacco who is Senator since 1994, Mayor of N. Bergen since 1991 and also on the N. Bergen Township Commission since 1985. By profession he is the Assistant Superintendent of N. Bergen Schools, N. Bergen Board of Education. In 38 states of America it is banned and in Indiana holding 2 offices is a Class D felony, on par with drug possession and punishable by up to 3 years in prison.

 

American Media which always project India as one of the most corrupt democracy in the world should know that in India a Jon Corzine cannot install a Bob Menandez to his elected office of US Senator by changing the voters intent. No one can hold 2 Elected Office or Elected Office and a state/city/federal job. Even when one is filling the nomination papers he or she has to resign their state/city/federal job.

 

This state has the highest per capita income in US, Biggest Port , highest population density 15 times the national average on per sq. miles, 100% urbanized state with all Urban counties/towns. It has the highest property tax $7,500.00 average; in last 10 years average tax increase is by over 120% only. Then it has the highest cost to educate a student $18,000 in rich districts & $29,000 in poor districts against the national average of less than $7,000 and still has 250,000 students who can not read and write. 25% of them are in 4 poor colored towns Newark , Jersey City , Camden , and Patterson. Surprisingly it has 681 School Superintendent Offices with 25-30 Secretaries for 2419 Schools and a High School ( Jersey City ) can have 6 Vice Principles. For 3,035 Schools Indian state capital Delhi has only 1 Education Director (School Superintendent).

 

In 8,721 sq. miles there are 588 Royal Governments with $72 Billion budget and $165 Billion in deficit. $34 Billions for the State and $38 Billions for the 587 local Governments in unevenly populated racially segregated 566 Kingdoms/Towns. 411 Towns have a population of less than 10,000 or are in less than 2 sq. mile. 212 Towns have less population than the day time population 5,845 of colored Elizabeth High School . 34 Towns are with less than 4,000 residents, 49 Towns with less than 3,000 residents, 48 Towns with less than 2,000 residents and 27 Towns are with less than 1,000 residents. The smallest town is Walpack with 35 and Teterborough with 50.

 

Newark the biggest Municipality with 285,000 residents here every public dollar spent, 81 cents comes from outside the city. Over $1 billion school budget only 86 million comes from local sources balance is state aid. Around $1 billion Municipal budget, 40% revenue from outside city and rest from state & federal aid. Newark with 35.2% population of Essex County contributes only 17.6 % in taxes. Livingston , Millburn with 6% population contributes 18.9%. Newark receives more then $2.5 billion in Federal Aid and State aid. It is also the CAR THEFT CAPITAL of the World and has the largest unreported tax free income from crime in the world to its underworld.

 

Neighbor State Pennsylvania has a population 43% higher than New Jersey and its geographic area are 4 times greater than NJ. So why is NJ budget 25% more? New York City for 8.2 Million Residents has 1 Mayor, 51 Council Members, 1 Police Commissioner and 1 School Board Superintendent with 34 school districts. Why for 8.5 Million Residents of NJ has 566 Mayors, over 3,000 Council Members, 137 Free Holders, 80 Assembly Members, 40 State Senators, 580 Police Chiefs, 537 Municipal Courts, 681 School Superintendent offices, 5,000 Board members and 1 State Attorney General & 587 Assistant Attorney Generals besides a big battalion of other State, County & Municipal employees with little or no work appointed for political reasons?

 

Indian Capital Delhi for 14.6 Million residents has only 374 Elected Officials & 175,000 employees as compared to over 9,000 & 466,000 in New Jersey for 8.5 Million residents. Even Pre Independence India in 12.6 Million Sq Miles used to have 600 Princely Kingdoms for 450 million residents and New Jersey in 8,721 Sq miles has 566 Princely Kingdoms for 8.5 Million subjects/residents with 588 Governments!

NJ is legally corrupt & legally racially segregated despite having 80,000 Licensed Attorneys/Gangsters in the state; again which is highest in the world like 10 attorneys per sq miles. So many crooks from the gang of Unionized Gang posing as Politicians, Judges, Bureaucrats, Religious, Media & Business Leaders with conflicting agendas are in perfect unison to loot New Jersey . The NJ Political Philharmonic Orchestra of Unionized Gang must be the world’s most amazing cacophony of rogues, rascals and robbers.

 

The time has come to send all the members of NJ’s Unionized Gang for observation. Only psychiatrists can explain their behavior. Their acts have no rational explanation. They suffers from a loss of touch with reality. Temporary or permanent insanity. Paranoia. Schizophrenia. Memory loss. Loss of judgment.

 

I challenge Mainstream US Media, Politicians, Hollywood & Wall Street for open discussion and will use their data to prove it American Political, Business, Religious, Media Leaders and Judiciary are more corrupt & racist. Especially NJ this state is legally corrupt & legally racially segregated under siege by the leaders of a minority community who are the de fecto Rulers of America by their control on US Congress, Banking, Commerce, Trade, Media, Hollywood , Education, Judiciary & Law enforcement.

Dave Makkar

 

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