Politics and Money

[lesgetrich]

The Census Bureau Report you're referring to uses an alternative measure of poverty wich is supposed to better measure people's ability to make ends meet. Due to the high cost of living (especially housing) in California, the state has a higher proportion of people who can't do so. It's one more reason we need to raise the minimum wage.

California Has Highest Rate Of Poverty In The Nation, According To U.S. Census Bureau

"It increases California's poverty rate by a fairly substantial amount, from 16.5 percent to 23.8 percent," said Jonathan Buttle, a research program specialist with the California Department of Finance. "It simply presents an alternative snapshot to the official number."

Not only do Californians pay one of the highest median rents in the country, the state also has a high proportion of people who are renting or own homes with mortgages, which is accounted for in the alternate measure but not in the official measure, said Kathleen Short, a U.S. Census Bureau economist.

In addition to housing, the alternate measure also considers expenses for work, medical, clothing and utilities. It also factors in noncash government benefits such as those provided by nutrition assistance programs as well as housing and energy assistance.

You can't really blame Democrats or Republicans for the fact that California's cost of living is higher. It does mean that the poor in California would need more help than in other states.