Economic security is not merely about having just enough to survive—it is about

whether families can cover their daily expenses, save for retirement and their children’s

futures, and manage setbacks without being pushed into crisis. The True Cost of

Economic Security, developed by the Urban Institute, reminds us that real-life costs and

resources for housing, food, health care, childcare, transportation, and savings and debt

repayment must be included in measuring economic security. In District 30, as in too

many districts across the country, families are one emergency away from financial

collapse. That reality is compounded by predatory industries that profit from

desperation.