Poverty

New Report: Income Inequality Has Grown in Pennsylvania

November 15, 2012

Income gaps widened in Pennsylvania between the late 1990s and the mid-2000s with earnings for low-income families dropping as the income of the wealthiest continued to increase, according to a new study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute.

Census Data: Poverty Rises Sharply in Many Parts of Pennsylvania

September 20, 2012

New Census data show that poverty rates remained high in Pennsylvania last year, reflecting the ongoing impact of the recession and underscoring the need for state policymakers to do more to lift up struggling families.

Census Data: Fewer Uninsured Americans But Middle Class Struggles Persist

September 14, 2012

New Census data offer a mix of good and bad news. The share of Americans without health insurance declined, but the middle class continues to struggle in the wake of the recession and the acceleration of income inequality.

Pennsylvania Shuts Down Its Safety Net of Last Resort

August 1, 2012

Pennsylvania ended cash assistance today for very poor residents who cannot work and don’t qualify for other assistance, joining many other states that have scaled back or eliminated their General Assistance programs even as the need has grown.

With General Assistance Set to End, Costs Will Shift to Homeless Shelters, ERs

July 30, 2012

Eliminating General Assistance will save $160 million, but cost much more as thousands of Pennsylvanians turn to homeless shelters, emergency room services, fire and police – all at significantly greater cost.

Sharon Ward Discusses Health Care and Welfare Spending on Radio Smart Talk

March 14, 2012

On WITF's Radio Smart Talk, Sharon Ward said than taking away health care from children or jeopardizing the nursing care of seniors, policymakers should look at alternatives, including closing tax loopholes and ending corporate welfare.

Commonwealth Foundation Spots Bigfoot in Pennsylvania

February 16, 2012

“The Commonwealth Foundation has spotted Bigfoot in the state Department of Public Welfare," Sharon Ward says in a statement responding to a new report. "In other words, they are seeing something that just isn’t there."

Op-ed: Now Is Not the Time to Reduce the 'Safety Net'

February 5, 2012

Businesses that don’t invest become less competitive. It’s the same for our state. Only by investing in our schools, roads, workforce and other assets and lifting people out of poverty will we enjoy a more prosperous future. Read Sharon Ward's op-ed on reducing poverty originally published in the Harrisburg Patriot-News.