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Providence Population Growth


cataldo

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I remember being struck once by a story that said something like "of the number of people who are counted as 'homeless' in a given year, the most common length of time people were homeless is one day. The second most common length of time people were homeless was two days." I wouldn't be surprised at all if this same dynamic held for people who receive food stamps or cash assistance.
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I would love to see how RI stacks up against every other state.. And again, with my crack abacus, if MA has 6.5 times the population of RI, but only uses 4.5 times the $$$ for free food.. That means we stack up alot worse.. Let me know if I am reading this the wrong way..
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well my question is a bit ignorant.. I have no clue of the statistics and im definately not generalizing because i obviously understand that husbands pass away, marriages end, jobs are lost, etc. But I question why some of these women had children in the first place.. not every case of state aid in this state is from an unforeseen loss that results in financial hardship or we'd all be jumping off Newport Bridge with lost hope in life.

I just feel that some people have children because they know of the incentives. I work in a pharmacy and more and more its people my age (21), coming in with health insurance from Neighborhood or RI Medical.. and I feel like saying.. "whats your story? why cant you afford health insurance... why cant you pay for you child? And why am I paying for your medication with my taxes?"

I know that these cases may be 1 in 1000 here in RI.. maybe there are more.. but does anyone hear about stories of mothers having kids for financial purposes?

And I sincerely do not mean to offend anyone who ran into the sort of trouble during their lives that lead them to be forced to have state assistance... so please don't take any offense.

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I just feel that some people have children because they know of the incentives. I work in a pharmacy and more and more its people my age (21), coming in with health insurance from Neighborhood or RI Medical.. and I feel like saying.. "whats your story? why cant you afford health insurance... why cant you pay for you child? And why am I paying for your medication with my taxes?"
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how does Ritecare differ from the whole earning under 31k a year? It must, no? I honestly dont know..

and again.. i said that this could be a 1 in a million type of thing, 1 in 1000 or whatever.

If you own a device of communication then you know that healthcare is an issue right now.. so I'm not saying it isnt expensive. I've heard of plans ranging from $60 a month to over $600 a month-- >(people I work with)

What I'm really asking is how common is it that couples or single women have children with at least some thought of financial incentive

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Ank, these data are problematic for your argument. They're from this EDC story on RI competitiveness. The report is for 2007 and your stats end 2004, if memory serves. It's worth noting that much of this report is from 2005 and later. Thanks to Mikey for the link.

Rhode Island also ranked well for...the percent of adults who are in the labor force (17th).

The economy has created many new jobs – more than 20,000 from 2002 to 2006, and 5,700 just in 2006 alone, which was the fastest job growth rate in New England.

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PS:

I found out recently, in the therapy pool at RI Rehab that the city and the state pay neither Unemployment or TDI for their employees. Now i know that both of those are generally employee paid, but why, if it is law for non profits and corporations, does the state and city get to take a pass? I ask because in the pool with me the other day was a woman who got hurt while working for the city--three herniated disks. She couldn't collect TDI while waiting for her workers comp insurance to kick in (three months btw, and she's the breadwinner for her family) and tried to get foodstamps etc but didn't qualify because her income was too high. Thee months, with no income, just because the city doesn't participate in TDI? Not everyone can afford to have six months worth of expenses in the bank especially the rank and file for the city. I just don't understand how this is allowed? I know that the city "self-insures" for a number of things (liability for one) but shouldn't they have kicked in the equivalent of the TDI benefit?

Does anyone know why this happens? I guess it is the same way on the state level--all those layoffs somehow don't qualify for unemployment...

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First, great discussion.. I love it..

Jenkins, my post was supposed to be in agreement with you, I wrote it quickly as I was leaving and it reads the opposite.. By the way, you do not work for MA Welfare.. You work for the "Department of Transitional Assistance" if my memory serves me right.. :thumbsup: Too bad RI has welfare and not trasitional assistance.. :)

I will offer up that my opinions are most certainly shaped from people applying to rent apartments.. This has no doubt cast a long shadow on the motives of people on gov't assistance.. The people, generally, who apply are not the type that goes to the next town to aviod embarrasment from being on WIC; they instead flaunt it.. They know the rules.. They know how to stay within the guidlines to continue to recieve benes.. They ask right up front if I am "on the level".. Meaning, will I lie for them.. I will concede that this constant repetition has formed a distinct opinion of people on government assistance.. The brashness, possibly, is the most disconcerting.. Every day, shoved in my face that the working folks taxes pay for this behavior.. (And yes I know that I benefit, sometimes, form these govt programs, albeit down the line..)

I feel that people's opinions of welfare would change if the ghetto wasn't such a NIMBY.. I've stated it before, welfare is a great theory at arms length and up on high; "pay those poor people dowen there, they deserve a good life".. I think any tax payer should have a required field trip to see where their tax dollar goes.. Opinions would change rapidly. But when you operate knee deep and interact daily with those getting this help, you realize the incredible disincentive these programs create..

That article was very interesting.. It was good to read.. I think alot of the improvements are due to Cicilline; as bad as PVD is/was I am 100% certain it is vastly better specifically due to him changing the culture.. I also think Esserman is key for PVD.. I voted for Cicilline twice, and will again.. These are no doubt positives, overwhelming positives.. Its frustrating to have Old Boys Club set backs like Tort Fruit.. But these guys are key for PVD..

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Because there is a void of benefits for working folk; Another disincentive to work.. Now compare that pool story to my former next door neighbor.. A 31 year old woman who tore her ACL 3 years ago.. She is on SSDI for life.. Apparently she cannot work.. I tore my ACL 7 years ago, and am posting from work today.. I have no trouble working.. Why are we different? Because this pool lady worked a prior job "sitting" she has the ability to find like work.. She is not disabled.. My neighbor was a stock room worker.. Her ACL tear apparently allows her to never work again.. Explain to me how this makes sense..

I know this is not an RI thing.. But there is a doctor somewhere in our state that gave this opinion.. I know that this woman, through learned behavior sought out this doctor.. She told me such when I offered that I had a similar injury..

When you combine things like this, with a state that doesn't remove you from wellie rolls, and repeat, you wind up with the opinion that RI is a good place to go to get on govt assistance, one way or the other.. And the stats provided previously are the result..

That is all I am trying to say..

Cicilline, Esserman, attracting good positive investment.. Free money policy and climate, incredibly bad..

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I don't think there's any need to qualify that people are helped by these programs.. Certainly everyone has tough times, and needs a helping hand from time to time.. EVERYONE needs help sometimes.. Thats why Massachusetts calls it Transitional Assistance..

"Welfare" is easier to type as one word... I'm just trying let it be known that there are gross misappropriations, validated by the Governor, in our social programs (welfare).. People know this, and come here specifically for the inefficiencies.. I know this because people tell me.. You'd be shocked how forthcoming people are..

I unfortunately live it every day.. I understand other people are not in the trenches as I am, and I am just trying to shed light on this that people do not see.. Thats what I mean when I say "at arms distance"..

Its the same as someone here telling me about The Steelyard bringing artist traffic and a buzz to the area; I would have no idea... I'm not in the scene, I have no access to it.. Much in the same way as the general public does not have the same access to wellie recipients as I do..

I don't even know what Six Sigma is, but your post was spot on, a great read.. Something to do with blackbelts or something, which I dont understand further when I see black belts posted in corporate america as a job skill... I've never need to stealthily defend myself at my desk. .. As always, I'm an idiot

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I'm just trying let it be known that there are gross misappropriations, validated by the Governor, in our social programs (welfare).. People know this, and come here specifically for the inefficiencies.. I know this because people tell me.. You'd be shocked how forthcoming people are..
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