New National Family Budget Study Released: Ithaca Area 8th Most Expensive in Country
(ITHACA) A new national study by the Economic Policy Institute http://www.epi.org/press/
EPI’s Family Budget Calculator, which includes
data for 618 communities throughout the country and is updated through
2014, estimates that a two-parent, two-child household would need
$92,603 to attain a modest standard of living in the Ithaca MSA.Both of
the adults in this household would have to be fully employed and earn
over $22/hour each to manage this family budget. The Calculator also
estimates basic family budgets for seven other family types (http://www.epi.org/resources/
The new data highlights in even more stark and
disturbing terms how workers in low wage jobs – anything less than $15
or so per hour – cannot make ends meet and struggle mightily and
sometimes fail to meet their or their family’s basic needs. According to
USDOL figures for 2014, for example, the median wage for four of the
more common occupations in the Ithaca area is $8.97 for fast food
workers, $9.07 for cashiers, $10.43 for retail sales workers, and $10.97
for home health aides (http://www.bls.gov/oes/
“These data show more than ever,” said Pete
Meyers, TCWC Coordinator, “how critical it is for our community and our
County Legislators to come together now to demand and enact a minimum
wage in Tompkins County that is a Living Wage.It is long past due for
our local government representatives to pay attention to the needs of so
many of our struggling working families. Our situation is more critical
than almost anywhere else in the entire country. And we cannot wait for
others to do this for us.”
