LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman. Winner 2013 Webby Awards for Best Political Website
May 25, 2013

 Choose a size
Text Size

Trending:     chris hedges     economy     elizabeth warren     politics     robert scheer
Most Read

British Terror Attack Suspect Had Watched Friend Cut to Pieces

How to Make a Million Dollars an Hour

Three Questions Left Unanswered by Obama’s Counterterrorism Speech

Taking Gay Hypocrites to Task Over Bradley Manning

Marching in Chicago: Resisting Rahm Emanuel’s Neoliberal Savagery

Most Comments
Most Emailed

Reports
 * NEW! * A Cooler Century? Wait and See
New York City’s Summers May Heat Up

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture
A Call to Action
Act of Congress

Digs

Truthdig Bazaar
Ulysses

Ulysses

By James Joyce

Cover

Playing President

By Robert Scheer
Paperback $13.16

more items

 
Ear to the Ground

Paying for Being Poor

Email this item Email    Print this item Print    Share this item... Share

Posted on Jul 19, 2006

A new study by the Brookings Institution found that the urban poor pay hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars a year in extra costs for necessities, such as car insurance, home appliances, banking fees and other basics. (NYT link)

NYT:
Study Documents ‘Ghetto Tax’ Being Paid by the Urban Poor
By ERIK ECKHOLM

WASHINGTON, July 18 — Drivers from low-income neighborhoods of New York, Hartford and Baltimore, insuring identical cars and with the same driving records as those from middle-class neighborhoods, paid $400 more on average for a year’s insurance.

The poor are also the main customers for appliances and furniture at “rent to own” stores, where payments are stretched out at very high interest rates; in Wisconsin, a $200 television can end up costing $700.
link

More Below the Ad

Advertisement


New and Improved Comments

If you have trouble leaving a comment, review this help page. Still having problems? Let us know. If you find yourself moderated, take a moment to review our comment policy.

By Liz, July 20, 2006 at 4:51 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

it’s becuase most churches dont give money to the poor it’s used to build multimillion dollar churches!!! and to buy them a plasma tv to use to braodcast thier sermom outside the main church hall. I knew of a church that did this and It ticked me off!

they hardly ever give to the poor.

Report this

By KONNIE, July 20, 2006 at 1:20 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

only a rich person at Brookings would think to study something so obvious…....how much did the study cost?  How much are they paying the researcher?  Just curious.

Report this

By Aaitje, July 20, 2006 at 9:40 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

You’d think a country that prides itself at being a religious nation with near 100% church-going people—-some would argue, a *christian* nation—-poverty would be a thing of the past.

It gives a new meaning to “the American *Dream*”, doesn’t it?

Report this
Newsletter

sign up to get updates


 
 
 
 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
© 2013 Truthdig, LLC. All rights reserved.