113-489: Fultondale is a city in Jefferson County , Alabama , United States and a northern suburb of Birmingham . As of the 2010 census , the population of the city is 8,380. Fulton was a mining town in the 1900s. Fulton was incorporated in 1947. The town's name is derived from the combination of the names of two nearby communities, Fulton Springs and Glendale . This area was once known as Fulton Springs. Prior to
226-671: A Democrat since Franklin Roosevelt in 1944 . Before Obama's victory, Jefferson County had last supported the official Democratic candidate for president in 1952 , and only once since 1944. Amtrak passenger service is provided by the Crescent , which stops in Birmingham. Freight service is provided by BNSF Railway , CSX Transportation , Norfolk Southern Railway , Alabama & Tennessee River Railway and Birmingham Terminal Railway (formerly Birmingham Southern Railroad). There
339-461: A President from among its members, who serves as the chairperson of all County Commission meetings, and who has additional executive duties. The Commission hires a county manager, who oversees and directs daily operations of county departments. Sales tax on many items within the county can be as high as 12%. The County Commission approved an educational sales tax by a 3–2 vote in October 2004. This
452-543: A UN declaration that resulted from the World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995, absolute poverty is "a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education, and information. It depends not only on income, but also on access to services." David Gordon's paper, "Indicators of Poverty and Hunger", for
565-418: A certain minimum level, the rub of the poverty problem – from the point of view of both the poor individual and of the societies in which they live – is not so much the effects of poverty in any absolute form but the effects of the contrast, daily perceived, between the lives of the poor and the lives of those around them. For practical purposes, the problem of poverty in the industrialized nations today
678-514: A day at 2005 purchasing power parity (PPP). The new figure of $ 1.90 is based on ICP PPP calculations and represents the international equivalent of what $ 1.90 could buy in the US in 2011. Most scholars agree that it better reflects today's reality, particularly new price levels in developing countries. The common IPL has in the past been roughly $ 1 a day. These figures are artificially low according to Peter Edward of Newcastle University . He believes
791-399: A different sense to mean "moderate poverty" – for example, a standard of living or level of income that is high enough to satisfy basic needs (like water , food , clothing , housing, and basic health care ), but still significantly lower than that of the majority of the population under consideration. An example of this could be a person living in poor conditions or squalid housing in
904-421: A high crime area of a developed country and struggling to pay their bills every month due to low wages, debt or unemployment. While this person still benefits from the infrastructure of the developed country, they still endure a less than ideal lifestyle compared to their more affluent countrymen or even the more affluent individuals in less developed countries who have lower living costs. Living Income refers to
1017-509: A result, depending on the indicator of economic status used, an estimate of who is disadvantaged, which groups have the highest poverty rates, and the nation's progress against poverty varies significantly. Hence, this can mean that defining poverty is not just a matter of measuring things accurately, but it also necessitates fundamental social judgments, many of which have moral implications. National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys. Definitions of
1130-404: A result. There were 263,265 households, out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.10% were married couples living together, 17.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. Nearly 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
1243-486: A situation dating to when the state legislature was preparing to split off a portion of Jefferson County to create a new county, centered around Bessemer . The city is located about 16 miles to the southwest by car. The split did not take place because the area of the proposed county would have been smaller than the minimum of 500 square miles set forth in the state constitution . The additional county courthouse and some parallel functions remain in service. The main courthouse
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#17327935302331356-857: Is Larry Holcomb, who is in his first term. Members of the City Council are Billy Hughes, Josh Bryant, Timothy McWilliams, Kristi Jennings and Jimmie H. Lay. In August 2016, then-Mayor Jim Lowery narrowly won the election against candidate Larry Holcomb a former Fultondale fireman, which began Jim Lowery's sixth four-year term. Four years later, on August 26, 2020, Larry Holcomb won the election for mayor with 983 votes to Jim Lowery's 750 votes. Three other incumbents were unseated in this election. Kristi Jennings defeated incumbent Joe Bolton with 1,096 votes to Bolton's 620 votes. Timothy McWilliams earned 986 votes in his victory against incumbent Tommy Loden, who earned 712 votes. Billy Hughes defeated incumbent Darrell Bates with 1,100 votes to Bates' 598 votes. Fultondale
1469-532: Is Walkers Chapel Road (west of US 31) and New Castle Road (east of US 31). Rail lines run north–south along the city's eastern edge from Boyles Yard in Tarrant to points north and east. Air travel is available from nearby Birmingham International Airport. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 9,876 people, 3,879 households, and 2,393 families residing in the city. At the 2010 census , there were 8,380 people, 3,504 households, and 2,269 families living in
1582-434: Is a problem of relative poverty (page 9)." However, some have argued that as relative poverty is merely a measure of inequality, using the term 'poverty' for it is misleading. For example, if everyone in a country's income doubled, it would not reduce the amount of 'relative poverty' at all. In 1776, Adam Smith argued that poverty is the inability to afford "not only the commodities which are indispensably necessary for
1695-403: Is also one switching and terminal railroad , Alabama Warrior Railway . Poverty line The poverty threshold , poverty limit , poverty line , or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for the average adult. The cost of housing, such as
1808-596: Is based on a low pay rate of 60 percent of full-time median earnings, equivalent to a little over £12,000 a year for a 35-hour working week. In April 2006, a 35-hour week would have earned someone £9,191 a year – before tax or National Insurance". In 2019, the Low Pay Commission estimated that about 7% of people employed in the UK were earning at or below the National Minimum Wage . In 2021,
1921-675: Is chosen by the eligible voters in an at large election. The Sheriff's Department fields about 175 deputy sheriffs who patrol the unincorporated areas of the county, and also all municipalities that do not have their own police departments . The Sheriff's Department has two county jails , one in Birmingham and one in Bessemer, which are used to detain suspects awaiting trial (who cannot afford to post bail ), and convicted criminals serving sentences less than one year in length. Two judicial courthouses are located in Jefferson County,
2034-401: Is hard to have exact number for poverty, as much data is collected through interviews, meaning income that is reported to the interviewer must be taken at face value. As a result, data could not rightly represent the situations true nature, nor fully represent the income earned illegally. In addition, if the data were correct and accurate, it would still not mean serving as an adequate measure of
2147-542: Is home to the Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge . As of the 2020 census , there were 674,721 people, 274,699 households, and 170,971 families residing in the county. The population density was 607.0 inhabitants per square mile (234.4/km ) There were 307,927 housing units. Jefferson County population had decreased slightly by 2010. According to the 2010 census , residents of metropolitan Jefferson County identified as
2260-728: Is in Birmingham and the second one is located in Bessemer. Certain elected county officials maintain offices in the Bessemer annex, such as the Assistant Tax Collector, the Assistant Tax Assessor, and the Assistant District Attorney. The local jails have a long history of abuse of prisoners. One former jailer, who started work for the Jefferson County Convict Department in 1919, described beatings,
2373-471: Is less than one-half the median family income." This was the first introduction of the relative poverty rate as typically computed today In 1979, British sociologist, Peter Townsend published his famous definition: "individuals... can be said to be in poverty when they lack the resources to obtain the types of diet, participate in the activities and have the living conditions and amenities which are customary, or are at least widely encouraged or approved, in
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#17327935302332486-463: Is located in the Birmingham TV and radio market. Newspapers include The Birmingham News (Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) and The North Jefferson News (weekly). On May 24, 2012, Advance Publications announced that its three Alabama newspapers (in Birmingham, Mobile and Huntsville) would do away with their print editions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The move was a result of
2599-517: Is located within the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , with the highest point in the county being found at Shades Mountain , at an elevation of 1,150 ft. Another significant mountain located within the county is Red Mountain , which runs to the south of downtown Birmingham and separates the city from the suburb of Homewood . Many other mountains and valleys make up the majority of the county's diverse geography. The county
2712-508: Is not considering establishing an official poverty line, with Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing claiming it would fail to represent the magnitude and scope of problems faced by the poor. As a result, social benefits and aids aimed at the poor would be a missed opportunity for those living right above such a line. In the United States, the poverty thresholds are updated every year by Census Bureau. The threshold in
2825-454: Is one of the eight counties in Alabama with a limited-form of home rule government. A 1973 Commission had recommended that all counties be granted home rule under the state constitution, but the state legislature has refused to give up its control over local affairs. In the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the county was underrepresented politically for decades into the 1960s because
2938-488: Is part of a rails-to-trails project of approximately three miles in length and crosses historic Stouts Road. The city also maintains a park and sports complex across from Fultondale Elementary School that is home to the Fultondale Youth Football and Cheer Association games. Jefferson County, Alabama Jefferson County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama , located in
3051-459: Is split according to rural versus urban thresholds. For urban dwellers, the poverty line is defined as living on less than 538.60 rupees (approximately US$ 12) per month, whereas for rural dwellers, it is defined as living on less than 356.35 rupees per month (approximately US$ 7.50) In 2019, the Indian government stated that 6.7% of its population is below its official poverty limit. As India is one of
3164-471: Is still a long time fixture in the city. Traces of the old routing of US 31 are still noticeable in the city. From just south of the city hall to an old bridge on this city's northern side, most of this old routing is known as Stouts Road or in some cases simply "old US 31." Fultondale was a relatively stagnant community until the last decade. Growth has occurred in residential areas mainly west of Interstate 65, while retail development has focused along and near
3277-520: Is the absence of enough resources to secure basic life necessities. To assist in measuring this, the World Bank has a daily per capita international poverty line (IPL), a global absolute minimum, of $ 2.15 a day as of September 2022. The new IPL replaces the $ 1.25 per day figure, which used 2005 data. In 2008, the World Bank came out with a figure (revised largely due to inflation) of $ 1.25
3390-616: The Alabama Legislature . It was named in honor of former President Thomas Jefferson . The county is located in the north-central portion of the state, on the southernmost edge of the Appalachian Mountains . It is in the center of the (former) iron , coal , and limestone mining belt of the Southern United States . Most of the original settlers were migrants of English ancestry from
3503-575: The London School Board . Booth set the line at 10 (50p) to 20 shillings (£1) per week, which he considered to be the minimum amount necessary for a family of four or five people to subsist on. Seebohm Rowntree (1871–1954), a British sociological researcher, social reformer and industrialist, surveyed rich families in York , and drew a poverty line in terms of a minimum weekly sum of money "necessary to enable families … to secure
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3616-522: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology 's Living Wage Calculator, which compares the local minimum wage to the amount of money needed to cover expenses beyond what is needed to merely survive across the United States. The cost of living varies greatly if there are children or other dependents in the household. An outdated or flawed poverty measure is an obstacle for policymakers, researchers and academics trying to find solutions to
3729-681: The Office for National Statistics found that 3.8% of jobs were paid below the National Minimum Wage, a decrease from 7.4% in 2020 but an increase from 1.4% in 2019. They note that this increase from 2019 to 2021 is connected to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom . The Guardian reported in 2021 that "almost 5m jobs, or one in six nationally, pay below the real living wage". India's official poverty level as of 2005
3842-708: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Canadian poverty researchers. In the European Union, the "relative poverty measure is the most prominent and most–quoted of the EU social inclusion indicators." "Relative poverty reflects better the cost of social inclusion and equality of opportunity in a specific time and space." "Once economic development has progressed beyond
3955-409: The rent for an apartment, usually makes up the largest proportion of this estimate, so economists track the real estate market and other housing cost indicators as a major influence on the poverty line. Individual factors are often used to account for various circumstances, such as whether one is a parent, elderly, a child, married, etc. The poverty threshold may be adjusted annually. In practice, like
4068-473: The $ 1.90/day standard, the percentage of the global population living in absolute poverty fell from over 80% in 1800 to 10% by 2015, according to United Nations estimates, which found roughly 734 million people remained in absolute poverty. Charles Booth , a pioneering investigator of poverty in London at the turn of the 20th century, popularised the idea of a poverty line , a concept originally conceived by
4181-414: The 1950s KKK chapters bombed black-owned houses in Birmingham to discourage residents moving into new middle-class areas. In that period, the city was referred to as "Bombingham." In 1963 African Americans led a movement in the city seeking civil rights, including integration of public facilities. The Birmingham campaign was known for the violence the city police used against non-violent protesters. In
4294-525: The 1950s and 1960s. In a study of lynchings in the South from 1877 to 1950, Jefferson County is documented as having the highest number of lynchings of any county in Alabama. White mobs committed 29 lynchings in the county, most around the turn of the century at a time of widespread political suppression of blacks in the state. Notable incidents include 1889's lynching of George Meadows . Even after 1950, racial violence of whites against blacks continued. In
4407-513: The 3,504 households 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 29.9% of households were one person and 9.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95. The age distribution was 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% 65 or older. The median age
4520-591: The Carolinas. Jefferson County has a land area of about 1,119 square miles (2,900 km ). Early county seats were established first at Carrollsville (1819 – 21), then Elyton (1821 – 73). Founded around 1871, Birmingham was named for the industrial English city of the same name in Warwickshire . That city had long been a center of iron and steel production in Great Britain . Birmingham was formed by
4633-486: The European Union is based on "economic distance", a level of income set at 60% of the median household income. A measure of relative poverty defines "poverty" as being below some relative poverty threshold. For example, the statement that "those individuals who are employed and whose household equivalised disposable income is below 60% of national median equivalised income are poor" uses a relative measure to define poverty. The term relative poverty can also be used in
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4746-556: The European-American population has Scots-Irish ancestry than residents identify with today. In addition, many African Americans have racially-mixed ancestry, often with some ancestors from the British Isles. Having been classified in the South as black under racial segregation, some of these families are beginning to use DNA tests to learn about and acknowledge European ancestors. Some identify as multiracial as
4859-629: The I-65/Walkers Chapel Road exit. In the early 2000s, the Chapel Hills subdivision was begun on the west side of I-65 off of Ellard Road. In the years following, other new subdivisions have been built off of US Highway 31 including Black Creek Station, Town Square, and Fulton Springs. On January 25, 2021, an EF3 tornado impacted Fultondale causing significant structural damage to numerous homes, vehicles, and businesses with several being severely damaged or destroyed. One person
4972-480: The Iranian economy suffered the highest inflation in 75 years; official statistics put the poverty line at 10 million tomans ($ 500), while the minimum wage given in the same year has been 5 million toman. Singapore has experienced strong economic growth over the last ten years and has consistently ranked among the world's top countries in terms of GDP per capita. Inequality has however increased dramatically over
5085-542: The US, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The median income for a household in the county was $ 36,868, and the median income for a family was $ 45,951. Males had a median income of $ 35,954 versus $ 26,631 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 20,892. About 11.60% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.20% of those under age 18 and 12.70% of those age 65 or over. Jefferson County
5198-470: The United Nations, further defines absolute poverty as the absence of any two of the following eight basic needs: In 1978, Ghai investigated the literature that criticized the basic needs approach. Critics argued that the basic needs approach lacked scientific rigour; it was consumption-oriented and antigrowth. Some considered it to be "a recipe for perpetuating economic backwardness" and for giving
5311-488: The United States is updated and used for statistical purposes. In 2020, in the United States, the poverty threshold for a single person under 65 was an annual income of US$ 12,760, or about $ 35 per day. The threshold for a family group of four, including two children, was US$ 26,200, about $ 72 per day. According to the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2018 One-year Estimates, 13.1% of Americans lived below
5424-526: The ability to convert what had been difficult to unusable land for retail and commercial purposes improved. The Colonial Promenade Fultondale development was a project of Colonial Properties and the first portion opened in the fall of 2007. It is home to many large as well as small retailers, shops and restaurants. Besides the retail development of Colonial Promenade, other retail development nearby includes various chain restaurants and large retailers. Other older, more mature business establishments line US 31 in
5537-495: The administration of laxatives, and confinement in a tiny two-by-three-foot cell, as well as beatings with rubber hoses. He said, "You can work a man pretty good with a piece of pipe and never mark him." Well into the 1950s, prisoners were regularly beaten and tortured by police to extract coerced "confessions" to crimes. In mid-2015, the Department of Justice announced an investigation of the conditions imposed on juveniles in
5650-665: The approval of a bankruptcy plan by the United States bankruptcy court for the Northern District of Alabama , writing off more than $ 1.4 billion of the debt. According to the United States Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,124 square miles (2,910 km ), of which 1,111 square miles (2,880 km ) is land and 13 square miles (34 km ) (1.1%) is water. It is the fifth-largest county in Alabama by land area. The county
5763-490: The building of Interstate 65, US 31 was the main route for travelers northbound from Birmingham towards Nashville, Tennessee. As a result, hotels such as the Keystone Lodge and Buchmann Motor Inn prospered. On the city's southern edge was located one of the few drive-in theatres in the Birmingham area (the "Skyview"). This was torn down when I-65 was built in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Pine Bowl bowling alley
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#17327935302335876-696: The center of the community including supermarkets, casual fast food, banks, a bowling alley and skating rink. Fultondale's Black Creek Park is situated adjacent to Black Creek and includes batting cages, the Senior Center, walking trails, the Children's Park, and the Fultondale Bark Park with separate play areas for small and large dogs. The dog park is home to the annual Barking at the Moon Festival. The nature trail along Black Creek
5989-486: The central portion of the state. As of the 2020 census , its population was 674,721. Its county seat is Birmingham . Its rapid growth as an industrial city in the 20th century, based on heavy manufacturing in steel and iron, established its dominance. Jefferson County is the central county of the Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area . Jefferson County was established on December 13, 1819, by
6102-440: The cheapest local grain (such as corn, rice, or oats). The basic needs approach is one of the major approaches to the measurement of absolute poverty in developing countries. It attempts to define the absolute minimum resources necessary for long-term physical well-being , usually in terms of consumption goods . The poverty line is then defined as the amount of income required to satisfy those needs. The 'basic needs' approach
6215-423: The city's western edge and on June 20, 2016, the interchange with I-65 just south of Fultondale opened. I-22 will provide direct interstate access to Memphis, Tennessee . Upon completion of Interstate 22, Fultondale will become the fourth Alabama city (after Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile) to be directly served by more than one two-digit interstate highway (I-65 & I-22). The only east/west thoroughfare of note
6328-410: The city. The population density was 681.3 inhabitants per square mile (263.1/km). There were 3,758 housing units at an average density of 305.5 per square mile (118.0/km). The racial makeup of the city was 75.1% White, 16.6% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 4.6% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. 10.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of
6441-591: The concept of relative poverty: "No objective definition of poverty exists. ... The definition varies from place to place and time to time. In America as our standard of living rises, so does our idea of what is substandard." In 1965, Rose Friedman argued for the use of relative poverty claiming that the definition of poverty changes with general living standards. Those labelled as poor in 1995, would have had "a higher standard of living than many labelled not poor" in 1965. In 1967, American economist Victor Fuchs proposed that "we define as poor any family whose income
6554-427: The continuing decline in advertising revenue and circulation for its traditional print products. The move places increased emphasis on their website, al.com, and reorganizes the Alabama properties into two companies: Alabama Media Group, the editorial side; and Advance Central Services Alabama, which will handle production, distribution and back-office services. The changes took effect on October 1, 2012, making Birmingham
6667-580: The cost so the county in 2011 had $ 3.2 billion outstanding. Carrington said one of the problems was that elected officials had welcomed scheduling with very low early payments so long as peak payments occurred after they left office. In 2011 the SEC awarded the county $ 75 million in compensation in relation to a judgment of "unlawful payments" against JP Morgan; in addition the company was penalized by having to forfeit $ 647 million of future fees. Jefferson County filed for bankruptcy on November 9, 2011. This action
6780-492: The county jail. It said that young people with mental illnesses were locked in solitary confinement for months at a time. Others were housed with adult prisoners who raped them. The Alabama Department of Corrections operates the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility , a prison for men, in unincorporated Jefferson County near Bessemer. The prison includes one of the two Alabama death rows for men. In 2010 statistics,
6893-502: The county that have established their own school systems are Gardendale , Bessemer , Fairfield , Midfield , Trussville , Homewood , Leeds , Hoover , Vestavia Hills , Tarrant , and Mountain Brook . The pattern of residential and economic segregation has occurred in many parts of the country, including economic segregation of poorer whites. In 2008 , Barack Obama carried Jefferson County with 166,121 votes (52.2 percent), although
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#17327935302337006-675: The county were still totally segregated. In 1969, public schools in the county became fully integrated. Except for cities such as Birmingham, that have established their own local school districts, all parts of Jefferson County are served by the Jefferson County Board of Education . Parts within Birmingham are served by Birmingham City Schools . Beginning in 1959, more wealthy towns, with predominately white populations, began to form their own school systems. Critics allege this served to stymie integration and financially starve schools that served mostly black populations. Cities in
7119-473: The damaged church. They entered politics in the city, county and state after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed. In the 1990s, the county authorized and financed a massive overhaul of the county-owned sewer system, beginning in 1996. Sewerage and water rates had increased more than 300% in the 15 years before 2011, causing severe problems for the poor in Birmingham and the county. Costs for
7232-634: The definition of poverty , the official or common understanding of the poverty line is significantly higher in developed countries than in developing countries . In September 2022, the World Bank updated the International Poverty Line ( IPL ), a global absolute minimum, to $ 2.15 per day (in PPP ). In addition, as of 2022, $ 3.65 per day in PPP for lower-middle income countries, and $ 6.85 per day in PPP for upper-middle income countries. Per
7345-401: The early decades of the 20th century, it had a majority-black population, but whites dominated politically and economically. Racial tensions increased in the cities and state in the late 19th century as whites worked to maintain white supremacy . The white-dominated legislature passed a new constitution in 1901 that disenfranchised most blacks and many poor whites, excluding them totally from
7458-410: The efficacy of their programs and guiding their development strategy. In addition, by measuring poverty one receives knowledge of which poverty reduction strategies work and which do not, helping to evaluate different projects, policies and institutions. To a large extent, measuring the poor and having strategies to do so keep the poor on the agenda, making the problem of political and moral concern. It
7571-489: The fastest-growing economies in 2018, poverty is on the decline in the country, with close to 44 Indians escaping extreme poverty every minute, as per the World Poverty Clock . India lifted 271 million people out of poverty in a 10-year time period from 2005/06 to 2015/16. In 2008 Iran government report by central statistics had recommended 9.5 around million people living below poverty line. As of August 2022
7684-547: The following: As of the 2000 census , there were 662,047 people, 263,265 households, and 175,861 families residing in the county. The population density was 595 people per square mile (230 people/km ). There were 288,162 housing units at an average density of 259 units per square mile (100 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 58.10% White , 39.36% Black or African American , 0.21% Native American , 0.90% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.59% from other races , and 0.80% from two or more races. About 1.55% of
7797-484: The impression "that poverty elimination is all too easy". Amartya Sen focused on 'capabilities' rather than consumption. In the development discourse, the basic needs model focuses on the measurement of what is believed to be an eradicable level of poverty . Relative poverty means low income relative to others in a country: for example, below 60% of the median income of people in that country. Relative poverty measurements, unlike absolute poverty measurements, take
7910-491: The income needed to afford a decent standard of living in the place one lives. The distinguishing feature between a living income and the poverty line is the concept of decency, wherein people thrive, not only survive. Based on years of stakeholder dialogue and expert consultations, the Living Income Community of Practice, an open learning community, established the formal definition of living income drawing on
8023-795: The largest religious group in Jefferson County was the SBC Baptists with 185,650 members in 272 congregations, followed by 69,878 non-denominational adherents with 170 congregations, 67,313 NBC Baptists with 117 congregations, 55,083 Catholics in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama with 32 parishes, 43,422 UMC Methodists with 86 congregations, 15,899 CoG–Cleveland, Tennessee Pentecostals with 45 congregations, 14,025 TEC Episcopalians with 17 congregations, 11,267 CoC Christians with 69 congregations, 11,171 CoGiC Pentecostals with 16 congregations, and 9,472 AME Methodists with 42 congregations. Altogether, 83.9% of
8136-561: The late summer, city and business officials finally agreed in 1963 to integrate public facilities and hire more African Americans. This followed the civil rights campaign, which was based at the 16th Street Baptist Church , and an economic boycott of white stores that refused to hire blacks. Whites struck again: on a Sunday in September 1963, KKK members bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church , killing four young black girls and injuring many persons. The African-American community quickly rebuilt
8249-596: The legislative and executive duties for the county. The Commissioners are elected from single-member districts . Each county commissioner represents one of the five districts in the county, apportioned roughly equally by population. By votes in the commission, the commissioners are given executive responsibilities for the various county departments, which fall under the categories of "Roads and Transportation", "Community Development", "Environmental Services", "Health and Human Services", "Technology and Land Development", and "Finance and General Services". The County Commission elects
8362-408: The legislature. Legislators from rural counties kept control of the legislature and, to avoid losing power, for decades refused to reapportion the seats or redistrict congressional districts. Birmingham could not get its urban needs addressed by the legislature. Nearby Bessemer, Alabama , located 16 miles by car to the southwest, also grew based on industrialization. It also attracted many workers. By
8475-430: The living standards, the well-being or economic position of a given family or household. Research done by Haughton and Khandker finds that there is no ideal measure of well-being, arguing that all measures of poverty are imperfect. That is not to say that measuring poverty should be avoided; rather, all indicators of poverty should be approached with caution, and questions about how they are formulated should be raised. As
8588-417: The merger of three towns, including Elyton. It has continued to grow by annexing neighboring towns and villages , including North Birmingham. As Birmingham industrialized, its growth accelerated, particularly after 1890. It attracted numerous rural migrants, both black and white, for its new jobs. It also attracted European immigrants. Despite the city's rapid growth, for decades it was underrepresented in
8701-400: The necessaries of a healthy life", which included fuel and light, rent, food, clothing, and household and personal items. Based on data from leading nutritionists of the period, he calculated the cheapest price for the minimum calorific intake and nutritional balance necessary, before people get ill or lose weight. He considered this amount to set his poverty line and concluded that 27.84% of
8814-534: The newly appointed president of the County Commission, about the risk of defaulting on bonds issued to finance "what could be the most expensive sewage system in history." Carrington said there was "no doubt that people from Wall Street offered bribes" and "have to take a huge responsibility for what happened." Wall Street investment banks, including JP Morgan and others, arranged complex financial deals using swaps . The fees and penalty charges increased
8927-476: The opposite effect, increasing the county's indebtedness to the point that it had to declare bankruptcy. The bond swaps were the focus of an investigation by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission . In late February 2008 Standard & Poor's lowered the rating of Jefferson County bonds to "junk" status. The likelihood of the county filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection
9040-490: The person might be able to meet her/his basic needs, but not be able to enjoy the same standards of living that other people in the same economy are enjoying. Relative poverty is thus a form of social exclusion that can for example affect peoples access to decent housing, education or job opportunities. The relative poverty measure is used by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP),
9153-500: The political system. While they were nominally still eligible in the mid-20th century for jury duty, they were overwhelmingly excluded by white administrators from juries into the 1950s. Economic competition among the new workers in the city also raised tensions. It was a rough environment of mill and mine workers in Birmingham and Bessemer, and the Ku Klux Klan was active in the 20th century, often with many police being members into
9266-400: The poor, most of whose expenditure is on basic foodstuffs rather than the relatively luxurious items (washing machines, air travel, healthcare) often included in PPP baskets. The economist Robert C. Allen has attempted to solve this by using standardized baskets of goods typical of those bought by the poor across countries and historical time, for example including a fixed calorific quantity of
9379-707: The population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information. In 2014, Jefferson County had 714 religious organizations, the 15th most out of all US counties. School districts in the county include: As a reaction to the US Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v Board of Education in 1954, that segregated public schools were unconstitutional, both state and local officials took steps to preserve de facto educational segregation. As late as 1965, schools in
9492-591: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest self-reported European ancestries in Jefferson County, Alabama are English 9.7%(64,016), " American " 9.6%(63,015), Irish 8.6%(56,695), German 7.2%(47,690). Many Americans whose ancestors came from Britain or Ireland identify simply as American, because their immigrant ancestors arrived so long ago, in some cases in the 17th and 18th centuries. Demographers estimate that roughly 20–23% of people in Alabama are of predominantly English and related British Isles ancestry. Researchers believe that more of
9605-606: The poverty line calculation, using a single global monetary calculation for Living Income is problematic when applied worldwide. Additionally, the Living Income should be adjusted quarterly due to inflation and other significant changes such as currency adjustments. The actual income or proxy income can be used when measuring the gap between initial income and the living income benchmarks. The World Bank notes that poverty and standard of living can be measured by social perception as well, and found that in 2015, roughly one-third of
9718-481: The poverty line do vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations. Even among rich nations, the standards differ greatly. Thus, the numbers are not comparable among countries. Even when nations do use the same method, some issues may remain. In the UK in 2006, "more than five million people – over a fifth (23 percent) of all employees – were paid less than £6.67 an hour". This value
9831-403: The poverty line. Women and children find themselves impacted by poverty more often when a part of single mother families. The poverty rate of women has increasingly exceeded that of men's. While the overall poverty rate is 12.3%, women poverty rate is 13.8% which is above the average and men are below the overall rate at 11.1%. Women and children (as single mother families) find themselves as
9944-467: The problem of poverty. This has implications for people. The federal poverty line is used by dozens of federal, state, and local agencies, as well as several private organizations and charities, to decide who needs assistance. The assistance can take many forms, but it is often difficult to put in place any type of aid without measurements which provide data. In a rapidly evolving economic climate, poverty assessment often aids developed countries in determining
10057-449: The project increased due to problems in the financial area. In addition, county officials, encouraged by bribes by financial services companies, made a series of risky bond-swap agreements. Two extremely controversial undertakings by county officials in the 2000s resulted in the county having debt of $ 4 billion. The county eventually declared bankruptcy in 2011. It was the largest municipal bankruptcy in United States history at that time. Both
10170-407: The real number as of 2015 was $ 7.40 per day. Using a single monetary poverty threshold is problematic when applied worldwide, due to the difficulty of comparing prices between countries. Prices of the same goods vary dramatically from country to country; while this is typically corrected for by using PPP exchange rates, the basket of goods used to determine such rates is usually unrepresentative of
10283-550: The rural-dominated state legislature refused to redistrict as population increased in urban counties. Changes to county representation in the state legislature did not take place until the state was required to incorporate the principle of one man, one vote from the US Supreme Court decision of Baker v. Carr (1964). It ruled that bicameral legislatures had to have both houses based on population districts, rather than geographic ones. The complexity of Birmingham and Jefferson County urban conditions required more local management, as it
10396-419: The same time span, yet there is no official poverty line in the country. Given Singapore's high level of growth and prosperity, many believe that poverty does not exist in the country, or that domestic poverty is not comparable to global absolute poverty. Such a view persists for a selection of reasons, and since there is no official poverty line, there is no strong acknowledgement that it exists. Yet, Singapore
10509-408: The second-largest city in the United States not to be served by a daily newspaper; New Orleans became the largest that same day. Fultondale is served by Jefferson County Schools . Fultondale High School is located on Carson Road on the northeast side of the city. Fultondale Elementary School serves grades PreK-6th grade and is located on the southern end of the city off of US Highway 31. In 2020, it
10622-477: The sewer project and its financing were scrutinized by federal prosecutors. By 2011, "six of Jefferson County's former commissioners had been found guilty of corruption for accepting the bribes, along with 15 other officials." The controversial interest rate swaps, initiated in 2002 and 2003 by former Commission President Larry Langford (removed in 2011 as the mayor of Birmingham after his conviction at trial ), were intended to lower interest payments. But they had
10735-582: The social economic environment of the people observed into consideration. It is based on the assumption that whether a person is considered poor depends on her/his income share relative to the income shares of other people who are living in the same economy. The threshold for relative poverty is considered to be at 50% of a country's median equivalised disposable income after social transfers . Thus, it can vary greatly from country to country even after adjusting for purchasing power standards (PPS). A person can be poor in relative terms but not in absolute terms as
10848-685: The societies to which they belong (page 31)." Brian Nolan and Christopher T. Whelan of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in Ireland explained that "poverty has to be seen in terms of the standard of living of the society in question." Relative poverty measures are used as official poverty rates by the European Union , UNICEF and the OECD . The main poverty line used in the OECD and
10961-399: The state voted for Republican candidate Senator John McCain by a double-digit majority. Obama carried the industrial, urbanized county by a larger majority in 2012 , winning with 52.5 percent. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton also carried the county in 2016 , with a majority of 51.5 percent. In 2020 , Joe Biden received 55.7% of the vote in Jefferson County, the best performance by
11074-422: The support of life, but whatever the custom of the country renders it indecent for creditable people, even of the lowest order, to be without." In 1958, John Kenneth Galbraith argued, "People are poverty stricken when their income, even if adequate for survival, falls markedly behind that of their community." In 1964, in a joint committee economic President's report in the United States, Republicans endorsed
11187-553: The time and Jefferson County's was 2% in total. Some municipal sales taxes reach 4%. On March 16, 2011, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that Jefferson County's 2009 occupational tax law was passed unconstitutionally. This decision dealt a devastating financial blow to a county considering bankruptcy. Jefferson County is served by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department . The County Sheriff
11300-483: The total population of York lived below this poverty line. This result corresponded with that from Booth's study of poverty in London and so challenged the view, commonly held at the time, that abject poverty was a problem particular to London and was not widespread in the rest of Britain. Rowntree distinguished between primary poverty , those lacking in income and secondary poverty , those who had enough income, but spent it elsewhere (1901:295–96). The poverty threshold
11413-538: The work of Richard and Martha Anker, who co-authored "Living Wages Around the World: Manual for Measurement". They define a living income as: The net annual income required for a household in a particular place to afford a decent standard of living for all members of that household. Elements of a decent standard of living include food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transport, clothing, and other essential needs including provision for unexpected events. Like
11526-451: The world's population was considered poor in relation to their particular society. The Living Income Community of Practice (LICOP) was founded by The Sustainable Food Lab, GIZ and ISEAL Alliance to measure the gap between what people around the world earn versus what they need to have a decent standard of living, and find ways to bridge this gap. A variation on the LICOP's Living Income is
11639-485: The world. It influenced the programs and policies of major multilateral and bilateral development agencies, and was the precursor to the human development approach." A traditional list of immediate "basic needs" is food (including water), shelter, and clothing. Many modern lists emphasize the minimum level of consumption of 'basic needs' of not just food, water, and shelter, but also sanitation, education, and health care. Different agencies use different lists. According to
11752-440: Was 2.45, and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, 24.80% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.50 males. In 2007 Jefferson County had the highest rate of syphilis cases per 100,000 in
11865-495: Was 34.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males. The median household income was $ 44,880 and the median family income was $ 55,565. Males had a median income of $ 43,109 versus $ 35,051 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 24,903. About 8.1% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over. The current mayor
11978-434: Was a major industrial center. The county gained some home rule functions by 1944. It allows the county to set up a zoning system for land use, maintain the sanitary sewer , sewerage systems and highways , provide for garbage and trash disposal , and to enforce taxation (except for property taxes). Today the county has a type of council-manager form of government. It is governed by a five-member commission that combines
12091-609: Was announced that Fultondale High School will get a new building and the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School will move to the current high school location once renovations are completed. The school is nicknamed the Wildcats (and Junior Wildcats) and both schools' colors are orange and navy blue. Due to difficult topography, for many years Fultondale was limited in its ability to grow. However, as technology improved,
12204-482: Was debated in the press. In early March 2008, Moody's followed suit and indicated that it would also review the county's ability to meet other bond obligations. On March 7, 2008, Jefferson County failed to post $ 184 million collateral as required under its sewer bond agreements, thereby moving into technical default. In February 2011, Lesley Curwen of the BBC World Service interviewed David Carrington,
12317-444: Was first developed by Mollie Orshansky between 1963 and 1964. She attributed the poverty threshold as a measure of income inadequacy by taking the cost of food plan per family of three or four and multiplying it by a factor of three. In 1969 the inter agency poverty level review committee adjusted the threshold for only price changes. The term "absolute poverty" is also sometimes used as a synonym for extreme poverty. Absolute poverty
12430-400: Was implemented In January 2005, as a 1% sales tax to support funding for construction of needed education facilities. This additional 1% has resulted in some county municipalities, such as Fairfield , to have sales tax rates as high as 10%, while other municipalities and incorporated communities had an increase in their total sales tax rate from 8% to 9%. The state of Alabama sales tax was 4% at
12543-650: Was introduced by the International Labour Organization's World Employment Conference in 1976. "Perhaps the high point of the WEP was the World Employment Conference of 1976, which proposed the satisfaction of basic human needs as the overriding objective of national and international development policy. The basic needs approach to development was endorsed by governments and workers' and employers' organizations from all over
12656-558: Was killed and 30 others were injured. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 12.2 square miles (32 km), all land. Fultondale is located along one of the many ridgelines that comprise the southern end of the Appalachian Mountain chain. The area has been thoroughly mined for coal and other minerals in the past 100 years. The city is served by two major north–south highways, Interstate 65 and US Highway 31. The new Interstate 22 encroaches on
12769-828: Was valued at $ 4.2 billion, with debts of $ 3.14 billion relating to sewer work; it was then the most costly municipal bankruptcy ever in the United States. In 2013, it was surpassed by the Detroit bankruptcy in Michigan. The County requested Chapter 9 relief under federal statute 11 U.S.C. §921. The case was filed in the Northern District of Alabama Bankruptcy Court as case number 11-05736. As of May 2012 , Jefferson County had slashed expenses and reduced employment of county government workers by more than 700. The county emerged from bankruptcy in December 2013, following
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