Date: 07/27/2009
Final
Colorado Poverty Definitions Metrics and Data
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY POVERTY REDUCTION TASK FORCE
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01:13 PM -- Colorado Poverty Definitions Metrics and Data
Ms. Kate Watkins, Legislative Council Staff, and Ms. Lisa Piscopo, representing the Colorado Children's Campaign, made presentations on how poverty is measured and the poverty rate in Colorado. Ms. Watkins explained the process by which poverty is measured, referring to a memorandum prepared by Legislative Council Staff (Attachment A). Ms. Watkins responded to questions regarding how the rate of poverty has changed over time.
01:23 PM
Ms. Watkins responded to questions regarding the year to which the data cited in her presentation applies. Discussion ensued regarding the importance of establishing a reliable measurement for assessing poverty. Ms. Watkins returned to her presentation, providing background on how the current method for measuring poverty was created, the inputs that are aggregated to measure poverty, and how measuring poverty has evolved over time.
01:33 PM
Ms. Watkins explained the terms poverty and self-sufficiency, and discussed how self-sufficiency is measured. Ms. Watkins also provided specific examples of the self-sufficiency threshold in Colorado, and explained how basic needs are measured.
01:40 PM
Ms. Piscopo discussed the poverty rate in Colorado, as measured by various methods, and poverty trends in the state. Ms. Piscopo used a packet of materials assembled by a consortium of stakeholder groups to make her presentation (Attachment B).
01:51 PM
Ms. Piscopo continued to discuss the data associated with Colorado's rate of poverty. Discussion ensued regarding how Hispanics are categorized on the United States Census form. Ms. Piscopo returned to discussing Colorado's poverty rate, and addressed the factors that may be associated with poverty. Discussion ensued regarding an optimal poverty rate baseline. Ms. Watkins responded to questions regarding an effort by the National Academy of Sciences to update the process by which poverty is measured, and other efforts to update poverty measurement.
02:02 PM
Ms. Piscopo responded to questions regarding the differing inputs that are used by the various poverty metrics. Discussion ensued regarding the measurement of the length of time that persons remain below the poverty threshold. Discussion followed regarding the proper metric for the task force to use as it moves forward with its goal of making a measurable reduction in poverty. Discussion turned to the reasons that different measurements are use to gauge poverty, and the differing time frames that these measurements assess. Ms. Piscopo responded to questions regarding the ability to assess the percentage of those in poverty who have been below the poverty line for multiple generations.