Wondering why you and people around you seem to be worse off than the Federal government seems to think you are? Well, here's part of the reason:

The Census Bureau used the wrong marginal tax rates to calculate after-tax income data for 2001. As a result, the 2002 poverty report released a week ago contains numerous errors in its year-to-year comparisons. In particular, several measurements showed no change in median household income, when in fact there were significant declines. Other figures indicate that child poverty rates remained stable, when they actually may have risen.

The goof was discovered by our very own local alternative rag, but has since been confirmed by the Census bureau...