INDIANAPOLIS – The Bureau of Labor Statistics released state-specific data on income growth this month and the details confirmed what Hoosier working families already know: paychecks aren’t growing fast enough. The report showed that between 2014 and 2015, the latest data available, Hoosiers’ real personal income grew at 3.9 percent while the rest of nation grew at 4.1 percent on average. After a decade and a half of feeble or flat income growth, Chairman John Zody believes it’s time to admit Republicans’ approach isn’t working.

“Indiana Republicans can’t run from this any longer, the data doesn’t lie. It’s crystal clear that Hoosier wages aren’t growing fast enough,” said Zody. “Republicans can keep pretending that cutting corporate taxes will trickle down but Hoosier working families aren’t buying it.”

The BLS release reinforces a report from the Center on American Progress that showed Hoosiers’ real median wages growing by just 0.1 percent between 2000 and 2016. Over the same period, Kentuckians’ real median wages grew by 4.2 percent and Illinoisans’ grew by 6.2 percent.

“Statehouse Republicans’ economic policies are failing families,” said Zody. “Slow wage growth means Hoosier families must stretch groceries further. It means a constant fear of an unexpected bill that would empty the family bank account or worse. It’s time for Republicans to admit and accept they’ve failed to put more money in the pockets of families and work with Democrats to grow the Hoosier economy.”

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