From 1947 to 1968 , when
a rising tide lifted all Pennsylvania boats, the inflation-adjusted value of
the minimum wage more than doubled.org or the Economic Policy Institute Web site
http://www.

partisan collaborating

EPI invites you to a news conference at the National Press Club,
Lisagor Room, on Wednesday, May 25 at 10:00 a.keystoneresearch .

advancing clarify

cfm/newsroom_describing_epi

The Economic Policy Institute is an independent, nonprofit,
nonpartisan research institute - or "think tank" - that researches the
impact of economic trends and policies on working people in the United
States and around the world.
"While productivity growth has grown rapidly in the last decade," said
Price, "most of the benefits of that growth continue to go to a thin slice at
the top.
"Income inequality trends and slow income growth at the bottom are reasons
why a raise in Pennsylvanian's minimum wage is needed.

ejc evergreen

org

For more on current EPI releases and to sign up to receive
releases on your beat, visit our online Newsroom at:
http: //www.epinet., In Pennsylvania, the gap between
high-income families and poor and middle-income families grew significantly
from the early 1980s to the early 2000s, according to a new nationwide study
by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy
Institute, co-released today with the Keystone Research Center." This includes the value of the Earned Income Tax Credit that benefits
low-income families and also includes the cash value of food stamps,
subsidized school lunches , and housing subsidies. "We know from other data that the gap between the
top and the bottom is driven heavily by the affluence of the Philadelphia
suburbs and the poverty and economic stagnation of the 'Other Pennsylvania'
that spans the rural T and parts of the Southwest," Price added. Since 1979, inflation has eaten away 28
percent of the value of the minimum wage.

tank evergreen

org/content.cbpp.

* Pennsylvania from 2001-03 had the 10th highest top fifth to bottom fifth
ratio of the 50 states.

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See below for details on the event.pdf
Then enter (case sensitive)

Username: media
Password: advance

JOURNALISTS: To receive a complimentary hard copy of the report,
contact EPI's communications department at
(202) 775-8810 or news@epinet.S.

vermonters reinforce

org/content. Over Past 20 Years, Low-Income Families Gain $3,381 as High-Income Families
Gain $56,098

Trends Suggest Need for Immediate Action on Minimum Wage

HARRISBURG, Pa.
Price noted a recent KRC study showing that in 35 of the state's rural
counties, one in four or more workers would benefit directly or indirectly
from a raise in the state's minimum wage because many low-wage workers live in
rural areas of the state.
A fact sheet summarizing the report's data on Pennsylvania is available
from the Keystone Research Center Web site http://www.

* Of the 11 largest states , Pennsylvania experienced the largest increase
in the ratio of the top 5 percent to the middle - from 2.

clarify collaborating

"Pulling Apart: A State-By-State Analysis of Income Trends," compares data
for 2001 -03 with 1980-82, a comparable period of recession and slow job
growth.

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Income Inequality Grew in Pennsylvania Over the Past Two Decades

This
ratio nearly doubled, from 6.

* Pennsylvania now has the 7th highest ratio of the average income of the
top fifth to middle fifth - 2.

think titanic

org/docs/news/200505-weller_wolff-pr. It went from $99,562
in the early 1980s to $223,152 in the early 2000s, an increase of
$123,590.

* Pennsylvania had the 11th highest increase in the top fifth to bottom
fifth ratio from 1980-82 to 2000-03.

prosperous think

EPI NEWS CONFERENCE: Social Security's Importance in Retirement Wealth; For Washington DC Journalists: 10 AM News Conference National Press Building Lisagor

affecting taxpayer

Wolff and Christian Weller
found that households headed by someone between the ages of 56 and 64
and with incomes in the middle 60 percent of the income spectrum had
three times as much Social Security wealth as private pension wealth
to sustain them in retirement .

juif clarify

* The top 5 percent of Pennsylvania families as a group enjoyed a larger
total dollar increase in income than all families in the middle fifth
and bottom fifth combined.

org.
The Keystone Research Center is a Harrisburg-based research organization
and leading source of independent analysis of Pennsylvania's economy and
public policy.

affecting clarify

Wolff, New York University economics
professor, EPI research associate

Christian Weller , Center for American Progress senior
economist, EPI research associate

WHAT: News Conference: Social Security - The Chief Factor in
Improved Retirement Wealth

WHERE: National Press Club, Lisagor Room, 529 14th St.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 10 a.
"Pulling Apart" also highlights income levels and trends in "post-tax
income."
"Pennsylvania once had a strong middle class and one of the most equal
state income distributions.

* Of the 11 largest states, only New York and New Jersey experienced a
bigger increase than Pennsylvania in the ratio of the average income of
the top 5 percent to the average income of the bottom 20 percent.6 to 12. Much of KRC's research is available free of charge on the Web
at http://www.

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Among the study's specific findings:

* In Pennsylvania, the average income of the bottom fifth of families grew
from $15,167 in the early 1980s to $18,548 in the early 2000s, a rise of
22 percent.

congr edmund

7 to 4.6.

broaden collaborating

The authors find this improvement is
largely due to Social Security., NW,
Washington DC. "It is striking that
Pennsylvanian's inequality grew more in a period that starts after the job
loss of the 1970s had already begun to winnow the Commonwealth's middle
class."
The full text of the report, "Pulling Apart: A State-By-State Analysis of
Income Trends," is available from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Web site http://www.org.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is a nonprofit, nonpartisan
research organization and policy institute that conducts research and analysis
on a range of government policies and programs. In 1980-82, Pennsylvania had the 14th
lowest ratio.

taxpayer juif

This is especially
true for women and minorities.
"Retirement Income: The Crucial Role of Social Security" finds
that between 1989 and 2001 these households also became a little more
likely to reach two important benchmarks: the ability to replace at
least 75 percent of pre-retirement income and to count on income at
least twice the poverty rate.

EMBARGOED (password protected ) report and press release: To review the
release, which links to the report, copy and paste this link:
http://epi.cfm/newsroom_index

For how to describe EPI, go to:
http://www.

* The income gap between the top and middle fifths of families in
Pennsylvania grew faster in the last two decades than in any other state
except for Kentucky.

These trends are in marked contrast to the broadly shared prosperity of
the late 1940s to the early 1970s. income levels
doubled in each fifth of the distribution.

think clarify

The authors of
"Retirement Income: The Crucial Role of Social Security" will discuss
the report's findings and implications in the current Social Security
debate.

* Meanwhile, the average income of the top 5 percent of Pennsylvania
families rose by 124 percent in the 20-year period.keystoneresearch.

ADDITIONAL FACTS ON PULLING APART IN PENNSYLVANIA

* Of 11 large states, Pennsylvania had the second -highest percentage
increase for the top 5 percent, higher than California, Massachusetts,
Texas, and Florida, and trailed only New Jersey at 131.

ejc titanic

m. In contrast, the average income of the richest fifth of
families grew from $73,273 in the early 1980s to $129,371 in the early
2000s (by 77 percent).org.

eic broaden

* Pennsylvania went from having the 16th lowest top fifth to bottom fifth
ratio to having the 20th highest one.

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In a new research study to be released Wednesday by the Economic
Policy Institute, economists Edward N.epinet.
"The story told by this data is that inequality has grown nationally but
it has grown even more in Pennsylvania," said Stephen Herzenberg, an economist
and executive director of the Keystone Research Center. During this period, U. The Economic Policy Institute
is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to broaden the public debate
about strategies to achieve a prosperous and fair economy.

evergreen partisan

Business Editors /Government Writers

WASHINGTON----For the typical
American nearing retirement age, the growth of traditional Social
Security - not better saving or the stock market - has been the
biggest contributor to secure retirement wealth.

* Pennsylvania went from having the 16th lowest top-to-bottom ratio out of
the 50 states to having the 20th highest one.9 percent.7.

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It now has one of the more unequal," added KRC
labor economist Mark Price.

* The average income of the middle fifth of households increased from
$37,200 in the early 1980s to $48,543 in the early 2000s, an increase of
31 percent.

collaborating congr

WHO: Edward N.epinet.