Austin – Most years, the Census Bureau releases in September new data from the American Community Survey (ACS) about poverty, health, income, and housing in Texas. This year, however, the Census will not release 2020 state ACS data, which has been deemed statistically unreliable due to data collection issues related to the pandemic. (The Census will still release national data from the Current Population Survey on poverty, income, and health coverage on Tuesday, September 14.) Read more about what to expect from the 2020 Census Data Release here. But even without ACS data, policy experts at Every Texan point to other data that illuminate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other longstanding challenges on Texans’ wellbeing. Those data reveal the need for bold, transformative public policy to improve lives and advance racial and economic equity at the federal and state level. For example, the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, launched in 2020, as well as other sources, such as unemployment data from Census’ Current Population Survey and the Department of Labor, give a clear snapshot of where people are at this moment. While employment is rising and strains on household budgets have eased in recent months – thanks in large part to the enactment of the American Rescue Plan in March – the employment rate remains below pre-pandemic levels, and millions still report that their households did not get enough to eat or are not caught up on rent payments. The impacts of the pandemic and the economic fallout have been widespread, but remain particularly prevalent among Black, brown, Indigenous, immigrant and low-income Texans. These disproportionate impacts reflect harsh, long-standing inequities — often stemming from structural racism — in education, employment, housing, and health care that the current crisis has exacerbated. Every Texan policy experts are available to comment on:
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Texas’ economy and families
- The crucial way safety net programs prevented a spike in poverty and the uninsured rate and averted a larger drop in income
- The critical need for Texas to equitably invest in long-term economic recovery (complemented by federal legislation) to expand access to economic opportunity and health care, decrease poverty by investing in kids and families, provide paid leave and education opportunities, and make transformative long-term budget investments (such as through the strategic use of COVID-19 relief funds).
# # # # # About Every Texan:
Every Texan believes that social justice requires public policy. Since its founding in 1985, Every Texan (formerly the Center for Public Policy Priorities) has leveraged public policy to expand opportunity and equity for Texans of all backgrounds. Based in Austin, Texas, Every Texan is a nonprofit organization that researches, analyzes, and advocates for public policies to achieve equitable access to quality health care, food security, education, and good jobs. Learn more about how Every Texan is making Texas the best state to live in at everytexan.org. |
