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The purpose of Connecticut Voices for Children’s (CT Voices’) annual State of Working Connecticut report is to provide an overview of Connecticut’s economy, especially its labor market, to dive deeper into the status of certain workers, and to provide policy options to support Connecticut’s economy and workers. To that end, the report proceeds in three sections reviewed below.
The first section provides an overview of Connecticut’s economy and it proceeds in three parts: (1) an overview of employment growth, which is important because hourly wages and annual salaries from jobs are the primary source of income for most families; (2) an overview of personal income growth, which is important because it is the primary economic indicator impacting allowable growth in budget appropriations under Connecticut’s spending cap; and (3) an overview of gross domestic product (GDP) growth, which is important because Connecticut has a high level of long-term obligations and when GDP grows, the tax base increases, making it easier for the state to generate the revenue it needs to service long-term obligations while also increasing spending on critical public investments and providing tax cuts for low- and middleincome families to make the tax system fairer. The key findings are summarized below.
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Colorado workers earning low wages have experienced significant real wage increases, even during times of high inflation. To protect these gains and further close the gap, it is crucial to establish strong labor standards such as a higher minimum wage and rigorous enforcement of existing laws.
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All Oregonians deserve to live in dignity — to enjoy economic security and the possibility to thrive. This is doable. Oregon, after all, is a prosperous place, with enough resources for everyone to live well.
But for a vast number of Oregonians today, economic security feels like an impossible dream. At a time when the income of the richest Oregonians has reached record highs, many low-paid Oregonians can’t afford basic necessities such as food, housing, and health care. Economic insecurity afflicts Oregonians of all races. As a result of an economy designed to benefit the white and wealthy, it is especially pronounced among Black, Indigenous and other Oregonians of color.
Data for the People provides the latest publicly-available data on the economic well-being of Oregonians. To better reflect the realities of particular communities, wherever possible we break down data by race and ethnicity using Race, Ethnicity, Language, and Disability (REAL-D) categories developed by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). For more information about this process, as well as data sources used throughout, see our detailed methodology.
The data make clear the need for Oregon to create an economy that is more equitable in its prosperity. OCPP’s Action Plan for the People lays out a policy roadmap to shift the economic system to benefit all Oregonians, not just the wealthy few. We invite you to explore this data set.