Study finds sharp cost-of-living increases in California

(From the sacbee.com) California’s economy remains locked in recession and wages have been stagnant, but nevertheless living costs – especially taxes – have risen. That’s putting a squeeze on many families, according to a new county-by-county compilation of the “true cost of living.”

The report from the Oakland-based Insight Center for Community Economic Development provides statistical ammunition not only for advocates of raising minimum wages and other steps to aid the poor, but for conservative anti-tax groups since the center found that taxes are the largest single element in living cost increases.

The study was designed as an alternative to the commonly used federal poverty standard, which critics say does not take into account the real costs of living. It updates a report previously issued in 2008, and found that double-digit increases in living costs are common throughout the state.

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