Michigan State Study Finds Blacks Pay More Than Whites For Basic Services

A study by researchers at Michigan State University finds that Blacks and other racial minorities tend to pay more for basic water and sewage services than White people. The researchers state that racism is not to blame, but rather that White flight from heavily populated urban areas leaves Black urban residents with the high costs of maintaining the vast and older water and sewage systems that are often in need of high maintenance and repair.

Stephen Gasteyer, assistant professor of sociology at Michigan State, says that “People of color have the fewest opportunities to leave urban centers and are left to pay for the crumbling legacy of a bygone economic era.” Gasteyer warns that the problem will only get worse. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that hundreds of billions of dollars will be needed over the next 20 years to repair deteriorating urban water and sewage systems.

The study, authored by Gasteyer and colleague Rachel Butts, will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal Environmental Practice.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs