It's Everywhere

Doesn't it feel like sometimes the ECONOMY and signs of the recession are all around you?

I know that I am just a little more sensitive to it, given my profession, but these days it seems like I'm hearing more stories of muggings and robberies, lay offs, and life changes, and then there are little reminders like this van I photographed above, or billboards that use economic catchphrases to market things like pantyhose.

If you come across a "sign of the recession," whatever that may mean to you, take a picture and send it to us, or give us a call at (415) 264-7106 to tell us about it.  You can also write us a description and send it to news@kalw.org, with "Economic Edge" in the subject line.

"The Great Recession"

It seems that our Labor Day holiday yesterday was a chance for many of us to think of jobs, and how desperately we need some.  The California Budget Project released a new report yesterday that calls our current downturn "The Great Recession," finding that it stands apart from other downturns because of the breadth of its reach, especially when it comes to job loss.

If you look at today's headlines, you'd see that the media is reflecting exactly what the CPB has found.  All the stories are equally interesting, and one could say, equally depressing.  But better share in the despair, than suffer alone, right?  So I've included a list of the local economic stories that caught our eye today, mostly job-related.  Read on, but keep the tissue box handy.

LOCAL ECONOMIC HEADLINES:

1.3 million will lose unemployment benefits by the end of this year

California employment down to 2000 levels

Unemployment department still difficult to reach - Phone number takes an average of 17 tries, and 2/3 of calls are rejected

Budget cuts mean shelters can euthanize animals sooner - "The notion that your beloved pet could escape the yard and be put to death before you even have time to post flyers is a real possibility."

State government workers find themselves going to food banks

SF school volunteers program may be cut - Budget cutbacks for next year may be even harsher than this year

Frugality is the new normal, even after recession ends

Backlash against banks growing as modifications are rejected

Free Friday Fun

Lots of Free Friday Fun ideas for this Labor Day weekend...

SF Sunday Streets are back, this time on the Great Highway.  From 10am to 2pm on Sunday, you can walk, bike, run, and dance along Ocean Beach.  Don't  have a bike? Bay City Bikes offers free bike rentals!

And if you happen to have a Bank of America ATM card, it will grant you FREE access to several local museums this weekend, and every other first weekend of the month until January 2010.  For a list of where you can go, click here.

And in honor of many people's Labor Day Staycations, Yelp! offers these reviews of local hangouts that will at least feel like a getaway:

In need of a rush? Look no further than the Seward Street Slides. Tucked away amongst the hills of Noe Valley, Kirk A gushes, "It's quite possibly the city's best use of concrete in a public area." He warns, "You can get some real speed and airtime on these puppies, so use a bit of caution when you go." Thanks, Dad! For both dog owners and non-dog owners alike, you can't beat an afternoon at Fort Funston. Cyn W explains, "Sure, it's doggy heaven... but it's a heavenly place for humans as well! Be ready for a good climb, as the trails offer gorgeous scenery replete with the Pacific Ocean, Lake Merced, rugged sea cliffs, and cute pups galore." 

Whatever it Takes to Reduce Traffic

I am glad someone (a.k.a. The Reason Foundation) found the money to fund this study, which finds traffic congestion is costing bay area businesses and local governments billions of dolllars in lost productivity and potential economic activity.

The SF Examiner article puts it like this:

If around $29 billion (in 2005 dollars) were spent adding lane capacity in the next 20 years, the resulting drop in traffic congestion could bring Bay Area businesses annual productivity gains of around $10 billion, according to the study. The improvements could also bring local governments an extra $750 million in tax revenue from the increased economic activity. 

For me, some questions still remain: will the Bay Bridge closure during Labor Day weekend, increase or decrease traffic?

Will it cost us, or make us money in the long run?  

...and most importantly, will the mass exodus to Burning Man offset any losses?  

I guess only time will tell...maybe The Reason Foundation can fund a study about that next!

You Don't Have to be Uninsured to have Medical Debt

Last week, we aired a first installment of a series that takes a closer look at the Human Services Agency of San Francisco, the people they serve, the ones they don't, and how that latter group is sure to get bigger after the agency suffered budget cuts in the tens of millions of dollars this past year. What is clear from the conversation I had with Trent Rhorer, Executive Director of the HSA, is that there are some people who are left behind by welfare services, simply because they make just a little too much to qualify....Or they have a car...Or savings...or unemployment benefits...the list of disqualifications is a long one.

And today there was a headline in our digest that proved there are people on the margin of the health care debate that are suffering greatly as well - the insured poor. The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research released a report today that found 2/3rds of the 2.2 million Californians who say they are in medical debt, actually had health insurance when they incurred that debt.

If you are one of the people on the margin, barely making it, give us a call at 415 264 7106, and share your story with us. Or write to us at news@kalw.org.

First Day of School

The San Francisco School District kicks off classes today, and so will other schools and universities across the bay later this week. Students, parents, and teachers alike are heading into this school year with tight budgets.

This Facebook group was recently launched to connect Oakland teachers with people who could contribute to their classes needs, such as pencils and magazine subscriptions. (As of now, there is still an unmet request for glue sticks and spiral notebooks!)

Tomorrow we will air an interview conducted by one of our street team members with a student at UC Berkeley, who is considering dropping out of school due to rising tuition costs. This Oakland Tribune article discusses ways that families can better prepare for rising college tuition. One piece of advice? Start early. Applying for government-based grants can start during the early high school years. But the cheapest option is still the California community college system:

Even with this year's $6-per-unit fee increase, community colleges can make the first two years of college significantly more affordable, and they can also improve an academically weak student's chances of graduating from a high-quality university.

Good Job News for California, not for Nation

So it seems that nationally, first time unemployment claims are up...again. Two weeks in a row, in fact. Bad news for the U.S.

But California has the largest drop of unemployment claims in the whole country, down about 5,000 claims. Good news for us!

If you want a better breakdown of the recession by state and county, take a look at the Oakland Tribune's Special Report page called "Faces of the Recession." There you will find a map tracking where the recession has hit the hardest, a database of announced layoffs, and another database of foreclosures. Useful stuff.