Laws: July, 2003 - Number #03

The US had 288.4 million residents in July 2002. The US population was 70.1 percent non-Hispanic white; 12.7 percent Hispanic (38.8 million); 12.3 percent Black; and 4.2 percent Asian. By 2050, the US population is projected to be 53 percent non-Hispanic white; 24 percent Hispanic; 13 percent Black; and nine percent Asian. Hispanics outnumber Blacks, meaning that "minority" no longer means Black- 40 percent of Hispanics are white. About 60 percent of US Hispanics were born in the US. The Census report of the 2000 population, 281.4 million, was 1.3 million too high, not three million too low, as reported previously. But the Census will not be adjusted, and thus will not affect the $185 billion the federal government distributes to the states for social services and programs like Medicaid, nor will it affect the redrawing of Congressional and local political district boundaries. The Census said it missed 44,000 residents of California, reporting the population to be 33.9 million. According to state estimates, California had almost 36 million residents in 2002, as it once again added 600,000 people in 12 months, keeping the state on track to hit 40 million by 2010 and 50 million by 2025. Between 1940 and 1960, the state's population more than doubled, from seven million to 16 million. Since the 1980s, demographic growth has come from 500,000 births a year and 300,000 immigrants, minus 200,000 deaths. The number of people living in concentrated poverty in the US fell 24 percent in the 1990s, from over 10 million to about eight million, reflecting the removal of high-rise public housing and the movement of poor people to suburbs. Concentrated poverty was defined as existing census tracts, places that average 4,000 residents, in which at least 40 percent of the residents had incomes below the official poverty level, $17,603 for a family of four in 2000. As poverty fell in inner cities, it increased in the inner or older suburbs. Driver's Licenses. At least 39 states, including California, Texas, Maryland and Wisconsin, are dealing with proposals to allow unauthorized foreigners to obtain driver's licenses. The argument in favor is that all drivers should know the rules of the road, and that licenses are necessary to obtain insurance. The argument against is that driver's licenses can be "breeder documents" that facilitate the settlement of unauthorized foreigners. California Governor Gray Davis has vetoed two bills approved by the Legislature to allow unauthorized foreigners to obtain driver's licenses. In the 2003 version, Davis insisted that unauthorized applicants for driver's licenses prove that they are employed and do not have US criminal records. The Georgia State House rejected a bill to issue driver's licenses to unauthorized foreigners on April 7, 2003, with opponents citing national security concerns. Kansas rejected a similar bill for similar reasons. Texan lawmakers are considering a bill (SB 944) that would stamp the words "Non-citizen" on driver's licenses issued to non-US citizens. Opponents say it would lead to discrimination and racial profiling, while supporters argue it would improve security. New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia have passed laws that restrict illegal migrants' ability to get driver's licenses. Advocates for immigrants sharply criticize the new state measures that make it harder for legal and unauthorized foreigners, saying they penalize people who have nothing to do with terrorism. In Florida, a state judge ruled in June 2003 that a Muslim woman must remove her veil for a driver's license photo, ruling that photo identification "is essential..." to protect "the public from criminal activities and security threats." Taxes. The 400 richest US taxpayers reported average incomes of $174 million in 2000, up from $47 million in 1992; an income of at least $87 million was needed to be in the richest 400 in 2000, up from $24 million in 1992. The top 400 reported 1.1 percent of all income earned in 2000, more than double the 0.5 percent of US income reported by the top 400 in 1992. The top 400 paid 1.6 percent of US income tax in 2000, up from one percent of taxes in 1992. The top 400 were not the same from year-to-year; about 2,200 people were in the top 400 at least one year. According to the IRS, 2,022 Americans with incomes of more than $200,000 paid no income tax anywhere in the world in 2000. The highest-income 1.3 million households pay 37.4 percent of individual federal income taxes; the half of Americans who earned less than $27,682 in 2000 paid less than four percent of income taxes.