And to further break down the poverty numbers in the state – rural vs. urban – and offer business oriented solutions, one of our favorite deep thinkers, Loren Kaye, offers the following:
Nearly one of three Californians receives subsidized health care through Medi-Cal. More than 3.3 million schoolchildren receive subsidized school lunches—about half of total public school enrollment.
California has the highest percentage of people living in poverty. Even among huge wealth generation and employment gains, millions of California families cannot reach the California dream.
The new California earthquake has a clear geographical dimension. Grab the 36 counties in rural, mountain and Northern California, and the aggregate unemployment rate is 6.6%. If rural California were a separate state, its unemployment rate would be the highest in the country.
Increasing opportunity and offering everyone a slice of the pie is within reach of the state leaders. Lawmakers should start with these five goals:
1. Invest in Transportation and Water Infrastructure.
2. Increase Housing Supply.
3. Make Energy More Affordable.
4. Update Labor Laws and Reduce Litigation.
5. Invest in Education and a Skilled Workforce.
We are working with Loren and the CalChamber and several other partners in Sacramento to develop and push forward such an agenda. Click here to read the full story.
