Tulsa World: Poverty was dropping before meltdown

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Poverty was dropping before meltdown

By CURTIS KILLMAN World Staff Writer
Published: 9/29/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 9/29/2009 3:46 AM

With the exception of the elderly, the percentage of people living in poverty in Tulsa County and across the state declined in 2008, just before the nationwide economic downturn.

Tulsa County residents whose income in 2008 was below the poverty level declined from 16.2 percent of the population in 2006 to 13.8 percent in 2008, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Statewide, an estimated 15.9 percent of the population was living in poverty in 2008, compared to a 17 percent poverty rate in 2006.

The latest census figures indicate "some progress" was made in terms of fewer families in poverty, said David Blatt, policy director for the Oklahoma Policy Institute.

"Clearly you still see a substantial segment of the population that is living in dire circumstances," Blatt said.

The poverty threshold in 2008 was an annual income of about $22,000 for a four-person family.

In the city of Tulsa, an estimated 18.3 percent of the population was living in poverty in 2008, census data indicates. In 2006, 20.3 percent, or one in five city residents lived in poverty.

A greater percentage of the population lived in poverty in Tulsa than in Oklahoma City, where 16.4 percent of the residents were poor in 2008.

Families with an absent father were the most likely to be living in poverty. In Tulsa, more than a third of the families with a female head of household, or 37.4 percent, were living below the poverty level.

Among that same population, 44.5 percent of Tulsa families with single parent females with children under the age of 18 years old were living in poverty, according to census figures. Statewide, the numbers are not much better than in Tulsa with 43.1 percent of such families living below the poverty level.

The figures were based on population surveys taken throughout 2008.

"We know 2008 marked a point where Oklahoma began to enter a downturn," Blatt said.

"I think we have every reason to fear when we see the 2009 number a year from now that there's going to be a fairly substantial increase in poverty," Blatt said.

Right now every indication is this year's numbers are going to be a lot more troublesome, Blatt said.

The elderly were one of the few age groups that saw increases in poverty since 2006.

In the city of Tulsa, 12.4 percent of those 65 years and over reported an income of less than the poverty threshold in 2008. That's an increase from 2006, when it was 8.1 percent of the population.

Statewide, 10.9 percent of the population 65 years and over was living in poverty in 2008 compared to 10.1 percent of the elderly in 2006.

A number of economic forces contributed to the increases in the number of elderly who are living in poverty, said Craig Davis, spokesman for the AARP Oklahoma.

"Probably the biggest thing that has caused the poverty rate to go up is the loss of the pension funds and savings," Davis said.

Other factors include rising costs for utilities and medical care, Davis said. Nationwide, Oklahoma ranked sixth in terms of the number of people living in poverty.

Curtis Killman 581-8471
curtis.killman@tulsaworld.com By CURTIS KILLMAN World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Centrist, the burbs (9/29/2009 2:33:03 AM) This is quite sad to read especially for the elderly and children. I know the charities have been hit harder this year, unfortunately I think we need more upreach to the elderly. They are the last to ask for help. It could start with anyone in your neighborhood that is elderly, neighbors helping neighbors.
	Report Comment oldrustytulsa, Tulsa (9/29/2009 3:40:56 AM) Its all the dang democrats, wanting to keep everybody in some kind of social program.Just creating paper work for the social services, to justify their jobs.
	Report Comment Eagle 4, Tulsa (9/29/2009 7:24:01 AM) Darn, that Conservative trickle down theory was working - why, in only 72 more years nearly all these poor people would have been dead!
	Report Comment born okay the 1st time, tulsa (9/29/2009 9:49:36 AM) How about quit bit ching along party lines & create some real solutions instead of playing the blame game. Whats that? Actual work? Yeah, thats what I thought.
	Report Comment goatman, (9/29/2009 4:11:15 PM) Gee!! I think I will turn into a republican, maybe I will come into some money and get out of this poverty.
	Report Comment FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (9/29/2009 6:48:10 PM) More jobs with good wages would help. But then most of these people are not qualified evewn for the most basic employment.
	Report Comment mayor_maynot, Tulsa (9/29/2009 10:54:44 PM) That's no bull Reaganomics brought our nations economy to a TRICKle. Welcome to Death Valley Days. Clinton turned our economy around rebounding our budget with a surplus. Then Bush stole the election in 2000 squandered that and deleted that while stuffing the pockets of his cronies. Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

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