Report The California Poverty Measure: A New Look at the Social Safety Net By Caroline Danielson, Sarah Bohn, Matt Levin, Marybeth Mattingly Oct 1, 2013 A new way of measuring poverty in California shows that 22 percent of residents lived in poor families in 2011. It also underscores the importance of the social safety net for many families in the state. The safety net’s impact on children is especially dramatic—without the need-based programs included in the new measure, 39 percent (or 3.6 million California children) would be considered poor. A companion report released by the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality examines regional and demographic differences in poverty. This research was supported with funding from The Walter S. Johnson Foundation. Interactive Map: California Poverty Rates by County Interactive Graphic: Poverty and Social Programs in California
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha Jan 30, 2013 Some findings of the current survey: There is widespread support for Governor Brown’s budget proposal, including his plans to target education funding and pay down debt. A record-high share of Californians say working illegal immigrants should be offered a path to legal status. Two in three Californians support a nationwide ban on assault weapons. Gun Regulation: Guns in Homes [PDF] Role of Government [PDF] Assault Weapon Ban [PDF] Worry About Shootings [PDF] Job Approval Ratings: President Obama [PDF] Governor Brown [PDF] California State Legislature [PDF] U.S. Congress [PDF] Senator Boxer [PDF] Senator Feinstein [PDF] Their Own State Legislators in the Assembly and Senate [PDF] Their Own Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives [PDF] Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings: President Obama [XLS] Governor Brown [XLS] California State Legislature [XLS] U.S. Congress [XLS] Senator Boxer [XLS] Senator Feinstein [XLS] Their Own State Legislators in the Assembly and Senate [XLS] Their Own Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives [XLS] Mood of Californians: General Direction of Things in California [PDF] General Direction of Things in the United States [PDF] Economic Outlook for California [PDF] Time Trends for the Mood of Californians: General Direction of Things in California [XLS] General Direction of Things in the United States [XLS] Economic Outlook for California [XLS] This survey was supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation.
press release Budget Reality Check: Huge Mismatch Between What Californians Want And What They’re Willing To Pay For Jan 31, 2007
Report Evaluating State EITC Options for California By Thomas E. MaCurdy Mar 25, 2004 In recent years, California and other states have either considered or developed their own earned income tax credit (EITC) plans to supplement the federal EITC. A well-targeted state EITC can support various policy goals by supporting low-income families and increasing their incentives to work. This report lays out four distinct approaches to a state EITC and tests them against three criteria: their effects on work incentives, the distribution of benefits by family type, and cost. It finds that if California wishes to implement its own EITC, it should not simply “add on” to the federal plan. Rather, it should design a program that considers a family’s hourly wages as well as its earnings.