2014-2017 Local Study


What are the specific ways in which the Chequamegon Bay region is impacted by economic inequality?
And what can we do about it?

...inequality is largely a result of policies — of what we do and don’t do. The laws of economics are universal: the fact that in some countries there is so much less inequality and so much more equality of opportunity, the fact that in some countries inequality is not increasing — it is actually decreasing — is not because they have different laws of economics. Every aspect of our economic, legal, and social frameworks helps shape our inequality: from our education system and how we finance it, to our health system, to our tax laws, to our laws governing bankruptcy, corporate governance, the functioning of our financial system, to our antitrust laws. In virtually every domain, we have made decisions that help enrich the top at the expense of the rest.
— Nobel Prize Economist Joseph Stiglitz, April 4, in remarks before the US Senate Budget Committee

Click here for the full Study Report: "STUDY OF IMPACT OF ECONOMIC INEQUALITY IN ASHLAND AND BAYFIELD COUNTIES"
Questions or comments can be emailed to Linda (jorgensonla@gmail.com) or Jan (janmmpenn@yahoo.com)


The LWV/ABC Board has completed a local study over the last three years:

  • To examine how economic inequality in the US and the State of Wisconsin impacts our local regional economy, and

  • To identify a local policy agenda to advocate for reversing that situation.

Since its founding in 1920, the League has always courageously taken stands for fair, accountable, representative, and responsive government.

It is in that spirit that the LWV/ABC moves to analyze ways in which public economic policies, especially in the last three decades, may have resulted in economic disadvantage for residents of the Chequamegon Bay region.

It is hoped that this study may also provide context for local decision making regarding the promise of livelihoods and economic abundance with the Penokee Mine.

There are excellent materials available for review, including Wisconsin economic statistics compiled by the UW-Center for Strategies for WI (COWS).
 

Linda Jorgenson and Jan Penn have volunteered to lead up the study and form a study committee comprised of both League and non-League members.

 

The study is complete! 

The following are supporting documents and information we used for contribution to the study:

Study Documents and Information: