Connecticut’s Ranking for Inequality Has Gone from Among Best in Country to Among Worst: Inequality report to be released Thursday

MEDIA ADVISORY

November 14, 2012

CONTACT: Liz Dupont-Diehl, Policy Director, CT Association for Human Services, (203) 667-5956, ldupont-diehl@cahs.org

Michael Sullivan, Director of Communications, CT Voices for Children, (203) 498-4240 x151, cell: (203) 843-3864, msullivan@ctvoices.org

Connecticut’s Ranking for Inequality Has Gone from

Among Best in Country to Among Worst:

Inequality report to be released Thursday

The Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) and Connecticut Voices for Children will unveil startling new data on income inequality in Connecticut in a new report to be released Thursday, November 15 (by mid-morning).

The report shows:

 Connecticut experienced the greatest increase in income inequality among the states for its top and bottom fifth of earners over the last three decades.

 Connecticut has gone from being one of the most egalitarian states to having one of the biggest income gaps between rich and poor households. Connecticut now has the third greatest inequality between the top fifth and bottom fifth of earners.

 The greatest share of income gains have gone to the wealthiest one percent, who have vastly outpaced even the very well-off. The 99th percentile of taxpayers in Connecticut earn about $766,000 in state adjusted gross income. That means that the top 95th percentile of earners, making in the low six figures, are closer in income to the poorest 20% than to the wealthiest 1%..

The report will also be available at the Connecticut Voices website at www.ctvoices.org and at www.cahs.org.

-END-

Liz Dupont-Diehl

Policy Director

Connecticut Association for Human Services

110 Bartholomew Ave. Suite 4030

Hartford, CT   06106