ISSUE 170 | August 17, 2022
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From Around the Region and the State
Economic and Policy News
Language differences impact voter participation
Voting rights activists are pushing for the provision of ballots in multiple languages.

Federal law does require such language assistance in some counties, but more are needed.

The legal threshold currently rests at a required five percent of voting-age citizens or more than 10,000 voting-age citizens with limited English proficiency.
Multiracial populations have grown 101 percent in 10 years
The Pennsylvania population representing two or more races has increased by 101 percent (over 400,736 people) between 2010 and 2020.

In the same period, the national rate nearly doubled.

Some experts believe these changes suggest a breakdown of barriers, while others attribute cite changing interpretations of racial background.
Average personal income has grown incrementally 
Average personal income in Pennsylvania increased 1.1 percent between 2020 and 2021 (after accounting for inflation).

The increase is significantly less than the nationwide change of 3.1 percent.

The growth was fueled by pandemic funding, and wages comprise the bulk of personal income. 
Data Spotlight: The Institute's annual Indicators Report covers a multitude of data points and trends - including shifts in population and income. Use the link below to learn more about Northeastern Pennsylvania's demographic and economic compositions.
From Around the Nation and the Globe
Economic and Policy News
NY plans to grow healthcare workforce by 20 percent in five years 
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New York’s investment of $20 billion will allow for increased worker pay, better workplace infrastructure, and more employee recruitment.

Approximately $2.4 billion is allocated for physical improvements in healthcare facilities and nursing homes.

The original plan disregarded home health workers, but the state has made adjustments, and bonuses will also be in place for those providing hands-on care. 
Wall Street works to minimize wealth gap
More than 60 banks, pension funds, and private equity giants have publicly backed Ownership Works, a new nonprofit promising to create $20 billion in wealth for “lower-level workers” over the next decade.

Another effort – The Redistribution Initiative – is devoted to reducing inequality by changing the basic business practices of Wall Street.

These activities involve employee-ownership of portfolio companies, as well as a redesign of underlying incentive structures. 

Palm Springs to roll out a UBI pilot to lift transgender residents from poverty 
Queer Works is a Palm Springs-based organization that provides low-cost or free mental health and gender-affirming care.

The organization’s founder is also one of the leaders shepherding the application process for a city-wide guaranteed income program to support transgender and gender non-binary residents.

Transgender women experience poverty rates as high as 30 percent, which is nearly three times the rate of the general population.
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