Badger InstituteBadger Institute
  • Home
  • Issues
    • Taxes
    • Education
    • Crime & Justice
    • Spending & Accountability
    • Economy & Infrastructure
    • Licensing
    • Healthcare
    • Civil Society
  • Mandate for Madison
  • Research
  • Magazines
    • Diggings
    • Wisconsin Interest
  • Events
  • Media
    • Podcast
    • Fact Sheets
    • Viewpoints
    • Press Releases
    • Badger in the News
    • Video
    • Audio
    • Testimony
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Board of Directors
    • Team
    • Visiting Fellows
    • America’s Future
    • Careers
  • Newsletter
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Subscribe for Updates

Get the latest news and updates from Badger Institute.

What's New

Wisconsin lawmakers in the dark on broadband

March 16, 2023

The underfunded part of Wisconsin public schooling

March 16, 2023

If we don’t pay for roads, we don’t get mobility

March 9, 2023
Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Instagram
TRENDING:
  • Wisconsin lawmakers in the dark on broadband
  • The underfunded part of Wisconsin public schooling
  • If we don’t pay for roads, we don’t get mobility
  • Assembly Speaker calls for tolling to fund Wisconsin infrastructure
  • Foreseeing the Future of Wisconsin’s Flat Tax
  • Wisconsin voters will be asked about welfare work requirements
  • A state without convictions
  • Why Wisconsin Needs a Flat Tax and Education Reform
  • Donate
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Instagram
Badger InstituteBadger Institute
SUPPORT OUR MISSION
  • Issues
    • Taxes
    • Education
    • Crime & Justice
    • Spending & Accountability
    • Economy & Infrastructure
    • Licensing
    • Healthcare
    • Civil Society
  • Mandate for Madison
  • Research
  • Magazines
    • Diggings
    • Wisconsin Interest
  • Events
  • Media
    • Podcast
    • Fact Sheets
    • Viewpoints
    • Press Releases
    • Badger in the News
    • Video
    • Audio
    • Testimony
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Board of Directors
    • Team
    • Visiting Fellows
    • America’s Future
    • Careers
Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn
DONATE
Badger InstituteBadger Institute
Home » Media » Reports » Welfare In-Migration in Wisconsin
Economic Development

Welfare In-Migration in Wisconsin

By Badger InstituteDecember 2, 1988
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest

The migration impact of Wisconsin’s AFDC benefit levels: a re-examination

By James Wahner and Jerome Stepaniak

Two basic issues are explored in this report.  First, to what degree are interstate in­ migrants to four southeastern Wisconsin counties – Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and Rock – adding to the Aid for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) rolls in those counties? Second, what are the impacts on those counties of the AFDC interstate migration which has occurred? Answers to these questions provide poignant detail at the county level on the make­ up and effects of Wisconsin’s AFDC population. 

This report focuses not on the state but at the more micro level, the county, where trends can be much more sharply felt.  Four southeastern Wisconsin counties – Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, and Rock – were chosen for examination. The rationale for selection of these counties for this Report is rather straightforward. The researchers wished to look at urban counties on the border or in close proximity to the border of the state. They were also interested in looking at areas where local officials had voiced concern over in-migration problems. 

It is important to note that much of the evidence of community impact that was gathered relates to Milwaukee County, by far the largest county in the state and home to almost 40 percent of the state’s AFDC recipients.  Although time did not permit specific verification, similar service demands exist in the Counties of Kenosha, Racine and Rock. 

It would be ideal if we could say that the data available are clear and consistent. Unfortunately, as with many issues related to welfare, that is not the case. The state and counties do not necessarily define new AFDC cases in the same manner. Data are not always available on the topics or in the form that would most neatly answer what are seemingly simple questions. Because of that, data from different sources, from slightly different time periods, and created in response to different definitions have been assembled. Together they generate a clearer picture than heretofore available of the impact of interstate migration on the AFDC roles of four of the state’s most urbanized counties. 

In order to get as precise an estimate as possible on the proportion of out-of-state applicants for AFDC, a definition of what a new AFDC applicant is had to be created.  The broadest definition, all newly-opened cases each month, is not appropriate because it includes a number of persons who were previously on AFDC and who may have been off for as little as one or two months. 

There are also a number of persons referred to as “flip-ons”, persons already on Food Stamps or Medical Assistance who report some change in family status or income that automatically “flips” them onto the AFDC roles. They are not seen as appropriate new cases either because they may also have been on AFDC, moved off, and “flipped” back on. Thus, for the state counts an exclusionary definition was devised.  The definition counted as new cases only those cases in which the head had not been on AFDC in Wisconsin in the previous 11 months, with the exception of those persons (few in number) who both left and then came back to Wisconsin within the previous 11 months.  This refined definition of a “new case” is especially important for Milwaukee County, where “flip-ons” account for two of every three new cases. In all other counties about half of all cases are “flip-ons”. 

Vol1no5Download
Reports
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Telegram Email
Badger Institute

Related Posts

Assembly Speaker calls for tolling to fund Wisconsin infrastructure

March 2, 2023

Safety Net Fact Sheet

March 2, 2023

Former Wisconsinites Bask in Florida’s Low-Tax Climate

February 2, 2023
Categories
Top Posts

Local pols filling old budget holes with massive COVID aid

December 8, 20221,449

This is not four years ago

November 10, 20221,287

A state without convictions

January 12, 2023644

Billions in federal spending in Wisconsin unaudited; results never measured

November 9, 2022488
Archives

Sign Up for Top Picks

Our weekly e-Newsletter with the latest items and updates

Connect with Badger Institute
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
About Us
About Us

The Badger Institute is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institute established in 1987 working to engage and energize Wisconsinites and others in discussions and timely action on key public policy issues critical to the state’s future, growth and prosperity.

Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn

Sign Up for Top Picks

Our weekly e-Newsletter with the latest items and updates

What’s New

Wisconsin lawmakers in the dark on broadband

March 16, 2023

The underfunded part of Wisconsin public schooling

March 16, 2023

If we don’t pay for roads, we don’t get mobility

March 9, 2023

Assembly Speaker calls for tolling to fund Wisconsin infrastructure

March 2, 2023
© 2023 Badger Institute | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Sitemap

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience.

Privacy settings

Privacy Settings

This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit.

NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using.

CRM Software

Customer Relationship Management Software

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. Google uses the data collected to track and monitor the use of our Service. This data is shared with other Google services. Google may use the collected data to contextualize and personalize the ads of its own advertising network.

You can opt-out of having made your activity on the Service available to Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on. The add-on prevents the Google Analytics JavaScript (ga.js, analytics.js, and dc.js) from sharing information with Google Analytics about visits activity.

For more information on the privacy practices of Google, please visit the Google Privacy & Terms web page: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en

Powered by Cookie Information