By Erika Paz, Cal Matters, July 22, 2021
A new cost-of-living study reveals a hard truth that millions of Californians now face: In many parts of the Golden State, having a job is far from enough to ensure financial stability.
The report from United Ways of California, an antipoverty advocacy organization, shows that the rising costs of housing and child care have outstripped growth in wages so much that 3.5 million working households don’t make enough to meet their most basic necessities.
Peter Manzo, president and CEO of United Ways of California, said the report shows a need to expand eligibility for safety net programs, such as earned income tax credits for the working poor, to higher-income levels since there’s an expansive swath of working households that need help. Those state tax credits currently cap off at annual incomes of $30,000.
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