Equity and energy: rising energy prices and the living standards of lower income Americans

Book · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6685657

Cooper, M N; Sullivan, T L; Punnett, S; Berman, E

Arguing that the energy price policies of the 1970s represented a major equity/efficiency trade-off and led to a deterioration in the living standard of lower income households, the authors present a data-based assessment of the plight of these households from 1973-83. After a general review of the recessionary and inflationary impact of rising energy prices on the national economy, they assess three trends with adverse effects on lower income households: the rising share of energy expenditures as a percentage of household income and the failure of income transfer programs to offset losses in purchasing power; the rapid increase in energy-related operating costs and the decline in housing quality; the rapid increase in energy-related operating costs of local governments which led to a cutback in serivces and a shift toward regressive taxes. The authors conclude that the need for effective policy responses is greater now than in the first decade of the energy crisis. 246 references, 35 figures, 48 tables.

• OSTI ID: 6685657
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290200* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
DISPOSABLE INCOME
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ECONOMIC POLICY
ENERGY EXPENSES
ENERGY SUPPLIES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HOUSEHOLDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INCOME
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LOW INCOME GROUPS
MINORITY GROUPS
POPULATIONS
PRICING REGULATIONS
REGULATIONS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
STANDARD OF LIVING