Re: [Mpls] Twin Cities third worst in income disparity

[Becker]

Mark Anderson wrote: "I think the disparity is more likely due to the rapid increase in the number of Blacks in Minnesota over the last two decades. Where did this increase come from? I think it was mostly due to emigration of poor Blacks from other parts of the country during that period."   Carol Becker writes:   This study is a little old but it found that about 4% of people who migrate go onto welfare and that the largest group of welfare migrants are single Caucasian women (50%) followed by African Americans (20%).  The largest source of welfare migrants was Illinois during this report's period (1985 - 1990) but seven states, the Dakotas, Wisconsin, Iowa,  Illinois, Texas and California, only contributed about half of the welfare migrants.  The rest were scattered around the country.    http://www.mnplan.state.mn.us/pdf/migrate.pdf   Other studies I have seen have shown that people, welfare or no, race or no, come to Minnesota because they believe that there will be more opportunities both for employment and in the school system, not to soak the welfare system.  It is because we are perceived as a good place with opportunity.    Carol Becker Longfellow