Study Finds Income, Racial Gap Costs Michigan Billions

A progressive think tank finds the gap in income between racial groups is costing Michigan billions in lost tax revenue.

A new study by a left-leaning Washington, DC-based think tank finds that racial and ethnic inequality in a dozen states – including Michigan – is costing governments billions of dollars in lost tax revenue.

The Center for American Progress notes that US Census officials predict people of color will make up the majority of the nation’s population by the year 2043.

So the Center’s Farah Ahmad tells WDET’s Quinn Klinefelter that the recent study is as much a call to action as a snapshot of current circumstances.

“Our analysis showed we would have had over a billion extra dollars in tax revenue just in Michigan alone from closing these racial and income gaps, and that would go a huge way in terms of building up public infrastructure, putting money back in schools and a whole host of other places that we need to improve Michigan’s economy,” says Ahmad.

Access the study’s Michigan fact sheet here.

Author

  • Quinn Klinefelter
    Quinn Klinefelter is a Senior News Editor at 101.9 WDET. In 1996, he was literally on top of the news when he interviewed then-Senator Bob Dole about his presidential campaign and stepped on his feet.