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Central Coast leads California in falling incomes

December 8, 2011

Residents of the Central Coast of California have been hit the hardest in the great recession with median incomes plummeting 18 percent since 2007, according to a report released today by the Public Policy Institute of California.

The report defines the Central Coast region as Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties.

In the great recession and its aftermath, the percentage of Californians living in middle-income families fell to a new low of less than 50 percent, the report says.

After adjusting for the state’s cost of living, in 2010, 47.9 percent of families in California had incomes between $44,000 and $155,000, considered middle-income. In 1980, 60 percent of California families were middle-income.

“It is unclear whether incomes will continue to decline or begin to rebound in the near future,” the report says. “However, if previous post-recession patterns repeat themselves, it is likely that lower-income families will recover much more slowly than those at the high-end, potentially worsening income inequality that is already at a record high.”


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I forget who said it first, but I think it’s true; if you divided all the money in the U.S. equally among the population, in one year the rich would be rich again and the poor would be poor again.


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Why do you hubris twits have to spin every article into something about politics and/or religion? Are you so robotic, so programmed by the media and political sect you can’t express an honest creative opinion directly related to the topic instead of your narcissistic ideologies?


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“sect you can’t express an honest creative opinion directly related to the topic instead of your narcissistic ideologies?”


Oh, you mean like your post,,,very ‘creative’ and right ‘on topic’. Gee, thanks for the input.


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OK, joetussin:

I have never seen the economy this bad in my lifetime and my business that was booming for the last two decades has plummeted in the last three years…

Income levels for all the folks I now who work in the private sector or own private businesses have suffered, yet those who work for the county, the state, the university, the prison, ASH or Diablo Canyon have actually increased their salaries and benefits. Go figure…


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easymoney, if you’re upset about the private sector vis a vie the Unions, then just go join a union that allows it’s members a decent wage to live on!


It’s ironic that in the past, when the economy was humming, ending in the first term of our godly president George W. Bush, how I miss his religious ways, never were the unions so criticized! Only now they are brought into the light because they actually have decent wages and benefits that were NEVER questioned when the economy was great!


God forbid if Union members can pay their bills because of their contracts that were AGREED UPON BY BOTH UNION AND BUSINESS, while the private sector is whining because of their bounty! If you’re going to use this ruse, then within the same vein, why not go back to the tax rates where the wealthy paid a little more, and eliminate the Bush Tax Cuts? Same principle!!!!


I am sure you’ve heard of the old adage, “you can’t have your cake and eat it too?”


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Interesting you make it about unions when easymoney’s post did not mention the word. Me thinks thou doth protest too much.


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r0y, me thinketh that you can’t see beyond what is directly in front of you!


“yet those who work for the county, the state, the university, the prison, ASH or Diablo Canyon have actually increased their salaries and benefits. Go figure…”


The jobs within the areas that easymoney listed, are for the most part, UNION jobs! Get it?


Thanks.


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Hubristic.


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Oh correct me if I am wrong…


Many job classifications have held the line …but have administrative salaries gone down at Cal Poly since 2007?


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Jan Brewer – Gov of Arizona and yet another clown in the ranks of GOP hypocrites


Check out this recent story in the Arizona press… and its about social security benefits of all things


http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/feds-probed-payments-to-brewer-s-son/article_0f3bce68-21ca-11e1-a89a-001871e3ce6c.html


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Typical. Thanks for the link.


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I love it !!!!!!!!!!!!! More on the wussification pf America. What will be the motivation for a individual to excel in business, work 24/7 to increase profits? Why work hard to get ahead of the game when its unfair to others and you’ll be required to cough up much of what you made so everyone can be enjoy income equality.

Its a gracious and noble idea and surely Gods plan for those who prescribe, that everyone will have food on the table and home to reside in but it ain’t gonna happen, under government laws or regulations it never has and never will when its being funded on the backs of those who bust their butts to better themselves financially. You wanna see businesses fleeing the state and country, wait till our politicians put this plan into fast forward and watch.

What Does Income Inequality Mean?

The unequal distribution of household or individual income across the various participants in an economy. Income inequality is often presented as the percentage of income to a percentage of population. For example, a statistic may indicate that 70% of a country’s income is controlled by 20% of that country’s residents.


It is often associated with the idea of income “fairness”. It is generally considered “unfair” if the rich have a disproportionally larger portion of a country’s income compared to their population.

Click here for Investopedia FXtrader


Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/income-inequality.asp#ixzz1fxldfjYU


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Income is not “distributed”; it is “earned.”


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Exactly…tell that to our current administration.


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Income IS distributed! I distribute my income when I buy groceries or goods, as do you!


Employers distribute their income to their employees for work or services rendered.


It is only when government confiscates through taxation and “spreads the wealth around” that income is RE-distributed.


Distribution comes when those with monies voluntarily spend it. It’s a point-of-view thing, but does not change the fact that income is, indeed, distributed.


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Did the local unions, including firemen, teachers, and policemen, besides the state employees including the CMC employees and many city employees also take an 18% cut since 2007? Seems democrats want to raise taxes so that all of the above can continue to do better than everyone else-and have a guaranteed pension for life!


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Think Andy Stern.


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“Seems democrats want to raise taxes so that all of the above can continue to do better than everyone else-and have a guaranteed pension for life!”


You people are ridiculous, honestly, you sound just like those GOP buffoons that have been debating, the Newt crowd etc.. Where do you come up with these things? We want to raise taxes so those people can have pensions for life,,did you just pull that one out of your @$$? But, why shouldn’t they get pensions for life, should they just live off of SS or should they continue working until they die? Oh wait, you guys want to take their SS away as well. I guess the old retired people will have to live off of welfare,,,oops, you want to take that as well. So I guess your answer is to just let them work till they die eh. Hmm, just what I want, a 90 year old fireman saving my house. Better yet, perhaps we can have our old retired teachers help those poor kids clean up the school bathrooms after the rich kids. So you think that people should never retire?


Funny, I’m watching a Perry ad. he’s ranting on about gays in the military and that dems that want to do away with Christmas. The stupidity from the right just gets worse and and worse, it’s just unbelievable.


Please Gov. Brown, pass that increased tax on the wealthy and that 1/2 cent tax increase, this is all evidence that our educational system is in dire need.


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typo,


It is really hard to believe in what the alumni on the right come up with at times, isn’t it? Unfortunately, they don’t have enough sense of reality to realize that they should be embarrassed. Nothing but “Faux News” talking points.


This is barring the FACT that I have yet to see a TRUE Christian anywhere upon Cal Coast News! This is even more disturbing since the right-wing is prone to being alleged Christians! Jesus is NOT smiling.


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Sad, but very true.


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Ted, I hate to burst your bubble …but the existence of Republicans pretty much establishes the fact that God does not exist.


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My my folks.. such biblical enlightenment, yet your daily ramblings against those who follow Republican ways wreaks of hypocrisy when it comes to your supposed religious followings of loving and accepting your fellow man?

Luke 6:37 ,”Ye shall not judge or condemn.


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I am not under any of these precepts, codes, or several thousand year old edicts.


Remember, every last one of them at the time were under the impression that the sun revoloved around the earth; and there was this concoction called the “firmament”, or the Hebrew “raqia” for which there is no evidence whatsoever.


I could be convinced otherwise if the evidence were compelling enough. The reality of Republicans, conservatives, and objectivists may portend that demons from hell are a possibility.


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rallyraid, I can only assume that your still stinging from the last time I had to put you in your place, yes? Therefore I can’t believe you want to step into it again?


When my Republican friends step out of line with the teachings of Jesus, you can be rest assured that I will enlighten them with the word!


Regarding your ignorance upon “judging” within scripture, I present this; the Lord Jesus Christ commanded, “Judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). He told a man, “Thou hast rightly judged” (Luke 7:43). AND THE MOST IMMPORTANT JUDGING VERSE IS WHEN JESUS TOLD OTHERS; “Why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?” (Luke 12:57). These passages deduce to the biblical FACTOID that we’re to judge!


One judges every day, as one example, tell your sophomoric stance to a jury of your peers within a court room setting! Get it? Yes you do.


I would think twice, NO WAIT, you should think Thrice before you engage my religious knowledge the next time. You’re welcome.


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There is no difference between democrats and republicans. Bypassing the various ideological shills, when you peel away the top-most, thinnest layer, you’ll find they are one in the same.


Oh, the Koch brothers are evil and corrupt! Faux News lies! But that Soros guy and Buffet guy are so honest and upright, and MSNBC is a bastion of truth! – you see my point? Or Bush was Wall Street’s boy (ignore the fact that Obama received more bankster money than all republicans combined in the last election cycle). I could go on and on, but it will only rial up the trolls to regurgitate their imprinted talking points.


Society likes to segregate itself. It always does, this is just what makes so many people more comfortable. It can be religion, politics, race, whatever – people will separate themselves from others for any reason.


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“There is no difference between democrats and republicans.”


I disagree. One of the main differences is that generally the repubs are obstructionists, they don’t like or understand the concept of diplomacy, they’re more like fight first talk later. The repubs also don’t have the same concerns for human rights and the environment/science that the democrats do (generally). These are deep seated values that go beyond the top layers of the onion, they come from the heart. I’ve know a few repubs that have concern for the environment and those other issues but it’s not typical.


“Oh, the Koch brothers are evil and corrupt! Faux News lies!”


Yes we agree on that.


“But that Soros guy and Buffet guy are so honest and upright, and MSNBC is a bastion of truth! – you see my point?”


Personally, I don’t see your point. What have Soros or Buffet done that is that bad especially when comparing them to the fascist Koch Bros. or for that matter when compared to the Newt. There is no comparison. Just like there is no comparison between Faux and MSNBC. Yes MSNBC has a bias but if you look at the truth meter then MSNBC would win that one. There are a few non partisan or right wingers that host on MSN and they are pretty good. There are NONE on Faux. Faux hires 1 or 2 goofball or weak libs and they call that fair and balanced. MSN has Shepard Smith. Murdock is a sleaze bag and so are all of his employees.


“Or Bush was Wall Street’s boy (ignore the fact that Obama received more bankster money than all republicans combined in the last election cycle).”


I don’t like them getting money from Wall Street and I know that they both feed from the pigs. I’m not sure about your accusation regarding Obama getting more money from the fat cats than Obama but what really hurts us is the actions by Bush and the right regarding Wall Street by Bush’s, not Obama’s change in the tax laws which allow the fat cats to not pay taxes or very little taxes while the middle class along with China are paying to keep our country operating.


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At least we are leading in something :(


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Sounds like some of us need to re-tool.


But, I’d rather be poor on the central coast than middle income in LA or SF


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Yes, paso, I’d rather live here and make less money, yet have a quality life and healthy environment, than live back down in So Cal and make more money yet live like a rat in maze…


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Coupled with the republican chest-beaters leaving CA in droves to avoid taxes, this doesn’t bode well.


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I’m going to guess it’s not avoiding taxes, as taxes are never avoided – I’d put my money on the excessive regulations and fees for doing even the simplest of things. That, or they actually watched a state assembly/senate meeting in Excramento… that’s enough to drive anyone out of state.


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I call it weeding out the gene pool :)


Gosh, if raising the taxes will make the repubs leave then I say raise those taxes!


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Well, yeah, but then who’d *pay* the taxes?


Didn’t we establish over on that other thread that the income tax liability for each Californian is $2500? And those paying less than $2500 are being subsdized by those paying more? So is we remove those paying more than $2500, who is going to subsidize you and me?


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