*Tennessee rankings among the 50 states.

• 8th highest elderly living in poverty rate for in the US.

Additonal Statistics

• *4th highest rate of elderly individuals living in poverty rate for in 2008
• ^ 52.5% of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren
  
  

* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.

^ "American Fact Finder". U.S. Census Bureau. 3/30/10 .

Hurting Residents and the Economy

According to a November 2010 report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), Tennessee is among 29 states that are expected to cut services to individuals who are elderly or disabled. These cuts are arguably due to a tax structure that does not produce the adequate revenue to support services for the most vulnerable. This reduction in services not only impacts the recipients, the elderly and disabled in communities across Tennessee, but it also negatively affects the state economy. The CBPP states that cuts to services will reduce overall economic activity and therefore dampen the recovery of the economy.

Systemic change to the tax structure is needed, as the state cannot rely mainly on the revenue from sales tax. Tennesseans for Fair Taxation supports, through legislative change and advocacy, a diverse and fair structure for state revenue collection that both bolster residents and economic growth.