Tough economic times are here again and bold government action is required. As our nation’s economy falters under a sagging housing market and skyrocketing fuel prices, many Americans are slipping from the middle class dream into the daily struggle against encroaching financial insecurity. Without the proper policies in place to address these economic challenges most families will continue to be squeezed and none more so than America’s low-income working families.
In Maine, the challenges for low-income working families are especially difficult. This report, as part of a national effort supported by the Working Poor Families Project (http://www.workingpoorfamilies.org/), focuses on current conditions in Maine. It provides a snapshot of our working families with incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
The report concludes with detailed policy recommendations that will help build a more resilient and prosperous state economy by helping all Mainers achieve economic security and advancement through their labors. As American history has shown, state and federal government have an essential role to play in this effort.
by Kurt Wise
Getting to the Middle: Policy prescriptions for Maine’s working families
