A new report, from the Michigan League for Public Policy, looks at the real cost of living in each of Michigan’s 83 county and calculates the income needed to make meet basic needs.
The report looks at things from housing to health care in each county and then calculates the income needed to make ends meet without assistance.
Gilda Jacobs is the President and CEO of the League. She said while families may not be officially poor based on governmental standards, it doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling to make ends meet.
“I think most importantly we feel the recovery has not been reaching everybody. Many people are still working low wage jobs having a really tough time getting by. This report breaks out what some of those high costs are of childcare and healthcare because those kinds of costs really should help inform policy decisions.”
Jacobs said policy makers need to understand that income needs differ from county to county.
“I think it’s important that policy makers understand that not everybody is the same in our state. The cost of doing business is different in some counties than in others.”
Jacobs said the League advocates for a variety of solutions: from increasing the minimum wage to increasing child care subsidies.
You’ll find a link to the new calculator at www.mlpp.org/calculator