Florida Families Financial Struggles

Just after this month’s elections in Florida, newly re-elected Governor Rick Scott may have a bigger job cut out for himself than he expected. A new report is out, painting a dark and stormy picture of the economy in the Sunshine State. Nearly half of the families living in Florida, are struggling to get by, many of them not able to pay their bills. It’s a statewide study put out by United Way. According to this report, 15 percent of Florida households are below the poverty line. Another 30 percent are financially insecure. Most of these people are hard working, low income families. They hold steady jobs, but the cost of living and the rising rate of inflation outstrips their ability to hold onto the little money they do earn. That’s over 3 MILLION households in Florida. For a little perspective, that’s more HOUSEHOLDS than INDIVIDUAL VOTERS for either of Florida’s top two candidates for Governor.

Maryann Terry is the Executive Director of United Way in South Sarasota County. She says this: “We face some real low-paying career options around here with tourism and the retirement communities.” And she’s right. According to the numbers, more than 70 percent of Florida’s workers take home less than 20 dollars an hour. The overwhelming majority of them are actually below the 15 dollar an hour range. The declining costs at the gas pump have been helping some families cut back on their spending, but most of that money is going toward paying off other late bills.

Florida is unique from most states in this economic bind, because the cost of living is so much higher than most. When you adjust the poverty numbers state by state, Florida’s poverty rate should actually be almost twice as high.

The study calls on Governor Rick Scott and business owners throughout the state of Florida to partner together and create a new wave of solid middle class jobs. It’s certainly something to keep an eye on. We’ll continue to monitor the economy in Florida, and how it affects the everyday person, trying to get by, living paycheck to paycheck.