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Minority Business Enterprises P a 8 e 9 Portland Observer NOVEMBER 9, 1989
(\{prth/(h(prtfieast Portland's Small
: (Business Incubator Salutes (Minority
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(Business "Enterprises//!
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C ascade B usiness C enter C orporation
Is H ome T o T hese
M inority B usiness E nterprises .
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C.H. Richardson Supply * Gourmet Spices, Inc.
J.P. Media Advertising
‘ Magnum Protective Service
MJ Toys and Games, Inc. ‘ Nice Independent Computers
Pandata, Inc.
‘ Richard Harris, C.P.A.
Rivera Construction
‘ Shelly Bailey Engineering
Come Join "The Partnernersftip
* Affordable Rentals
* Management Help
* Professional Image For Your Firm
Income Of Black Married Couples And Per
Capita Income Improve In 1988: Poverty
Levels Stable, Census Bureau Reports
The real median income of Black
married-couple families and per capita
income increased from 1987 to 1988,
while the number and percent of Blacks
in poverty were unchanged, according
to the Commerce Department's Census
Bureau.
The real median income of Black
married-couple families rost by 6.8
percent to $30390, while Black per capita
income increased by 3.9 percent to $8,270
after adjusting for a 4.1 percent increase
in consumer prices.
About 9.4 million or 32 percent of
all Black persons lived below the offi­
cial government poverty level in 1988.
The comparable figures for Black fami­
lies were 2.1 million or 28 percent. These
figures were not significantly different
from those in 1987.
These income and poverty figures
are based on pre-tax money income only,
before any deductions. They do not in­
clude the value of noncash benefits such
as food stamps, public housing, Medi­
caid or Medicare, or employer-provided
benefits. (An appendix to the report,
however, provides distributions of in­
come and poverty when certain noncash
benefits are valued.)
The median income of White mar­
ried-couple families was $36,840 com­
pared with $25,670 for Hispanic mar­
ried couples. Neither showed a signifi­
cant change from 1987 in real terms.
The real per capita income of Whites
rose by about 1.5 percent to 13,900,
while that of Hispanics was unchanged
at $7,960.
About 20.8 million or 10 percent of
the White population was poor in 1988,
compared with 5.4 million or 27 percent
of Hispanics. These figures were un­
changed from 1987 levels.
Here are additional highlights from
the report:
* Sixty-five percent of the nation's
poor population was White in 1988,
followed by Blacks (30 percent) and
persons of "other races (5 percent). About
17 percent of the poor were Hispanic
(these persons may be of any race, but
the vast majority identified themselves basket of goods and services represent­
as White in the Current Population Sur­ ing average consumption.
vey).
The CPI-U is the index the Census
* Forty-four percentof the nation's Bureau uses to adjust poverty thresholds
9.8 million Black children lived in pov­ for inflation and to compare changes in
erty, compared with 37 percent of His­ real income over time. According to
panic children and 15 percent of White many analysts, prior to 1983 this index
children.
measured housing costs in a way that led
* About one-half of poor Blacks to excessive growth in the index during
were either children under age 18 (46 the ate 1970s.
percent) or elderly (8 percent).l The
In 1983, the BLS began using a
poverty rate for children under age 18 revised method for determining housing
(44 percent) continues to be higher than costs, and this method was determining
for other age groups.
housing costs, and this method was in­
* Female household with no spouse corporated in the subsequent annual CPi-
present comprised 76 percent o f all poor U series. The Bis created an alternative
Black families, compared with 48 per­ series (the experimental CPI-U-X1) based
cent of poor Hispanic families and 44 on the new methodology to cover the
percent of poor White families.
period from 1967 to 1982 to provide a
* About five in 10 Black families consistent series over time.
with a female householder, no husband
Substituting the CPI-U-X1 for the
present, were in poverty in 1988, com­ CPI-U produced a lower inflation rate
pared with about two in 10 Black fami­ from 1967 to 1988, down from 254.3
lies with a male household and no wife percent to 222.2 percent. Using the CP1-
present and one in 10 Black married U, median family income did not show
couple families.
any statistically significant change be­
* Among poor Black household­ tween 1973 and 1988. Using the CPI-U-
ers, 40 percent worked in 1988, 12 per­ X I, however, median family income
cent working year-round and full time.
grew by 7.5 percent.
* Real median income for all Black
Lowering the estimate of past infla­
families ($19,330) and Black families tion produces lower current poverty
with a female householder, no husband thresholds as well, since the effect of
present ($10,660) were no*, significantly adjusting poverty thresholds for infla
different from 1987; the comparable lion is cumulative. Applying the alterna­
medians for White and Hispanic fami­ tive index provides a similar picture of
lies also were unchanged.
trends in the poverty population and rate
* The median eamaings for Black from 1967 to 1988, but it produces lower
men who worked year-round, full time estimates of the prevalence of poverty.
was $20,370 in 1988, compared with For instance, the number of poor in 1988
$27,230 for White men and $17,850 for was 3.6 million lower using the CPI-U-
Hispanic men. The comparable figures XI (28.3 million instead of 31.9 mil­
for women were $16,540 for Blacks, lion). Using this alternative price index,
$17,820 for Whites, and $14,850 for the poverty rate is 11.6 percent, 1.5
Hispanics.
percentage points lower than the official
Trends in Income and Poverty: The
rate of 13.1 percent.
CPI-U Versus the CPI-U-X1
Incorporating Noncash Benefits into
This report for the first time in­
the Definition of Income
cludes income and poverty figures based
The income and poverty data in the
on an alternative price index developed main body of the report are based on
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Price cash income received during the calen­
indexes, used to adjust for annual price dar year preceding the survey, excluding
changes, denote the cost of a market
taxes, capital gains, and the value of
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Portland, Oregon
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P.O. Box 12652
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909 N. Tomahawk Island Drive
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4823 N. Lombard
Portland, Oregon
(503) 285-2546
The Prudential
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