Opportunities for coverage during September
Message sent to media outlets Aug. 31, 2010
Greetings. I want to give you a heads-up on a number of important data releases during September that could be opportunities for coverage of how the Great Recession has affected Colorado communities.
This year’s data from the U.S. Census Bureau will be the first to cover the recession in full. Beyond the dramatic picture they are likely to paint, the numbers are important because they'll show how government policy makes a difference in people's everyday lives. We expect a significant rise in Colorado's poverty rate, for example, but the increase will be less dramatic than it would have been without investments under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The data are also likely to show an increase in the number of people who lack health insurance coverage, and rising demand for publicly supported health coverage under the Medicaid program. News coverage of that information will be especially timely because key elements of national health reform go into effect Sept. 23.
The Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute will be providing analysis on the day of each release as part of a series we’re calling Recession 360. Here's a schedule to assist with planning:
Sept. 16 -- The U.S. Census Bureau releases its annual Current Population Survey, including national-level data and preliminary state-level numbers on poverty, income and health insurance. The Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute will issue a fact sheet noting some of the most important numbers for Colorado and identifying policy implications.
Sept. 21 – The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases Colorado employment figures for July. The Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute will issue "Colorado Recession Watch," a monthly snapshot of the state and national economies with a special focus on jobs and public programs that enhance economic security. For a copy of last months report, click here.
Sept. 21 -- Key provisions of health reform go into effect Sept. 23. The Colorado Center on Law and Policy, the parent organization of the Fiscal Policy Institute, will release an issue brief describing the provisions and what they mean for Colorado.
Sept. 28 -- The U.S. Census Bureau releases its annual American Community Survey, the future successor of the Current Population Survey, which provides more detailed state and local data. The Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute will release an issue brief detailing the important changes in poverty, health care and income in Colorado during the recession.
Looking further down the line, in winter 2010 the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute will release its annual "State of Working Colorado" report, a comprehensive examination of this year’s data and a look at longer-term trends in the state. The report will also include policy recommendations. For a copy of last year’s report, click here.
If you'd like to do some advance work for your coverage, our analysts are available to discuss in detail what the data will cover and the policies relevant to each release. Analysts will also be available to discuss particulars on the day of each release.
As always, please get in touch with questions.
Perry Swanson, communications director
Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, a project of the Colorado Center on Law and Policy
www.cclponline.org
Desk: 303-573-5669, ext. 306
Media on deadline: 719-232-4458
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