Increased food stamp usage warranted as Metro Detroit poverty rises, Danziger says

The Detroit News quoted Sheldon Danziger on food stamps and retirement income in its article on the rise of poverty in Metro Detroit suburbs.

With the recent census report showing a drop in median household income, Danziger defended the increased use of food stamps as a stabilizer to the economy for many Michiganders who had their income reduced during the Great Recession.

"It's only in politics 101 where somehow it's interpreted as all these people are moochers," he said. "It would be much better if people were working at higher wages — everybody agrees on that — but for people who are unemployed or underemployed, food stamps are an important supplement to their income."

The article also points out Michigan has the second-most households earning retirement income, which Danziger said is not surprising and may have helped keep some elderly out of poverty.

"This is an area where certainly many retired auto workers have good private pensions," Danziger said. "Because of the auto sector, we have more early retirees and more elderly with private pensions than other states."