[Faith & Hunger] TU Letters: State's poor children must be made a priority

[Dunleamark at aol.com]

State's poor children must be made a priority 
 
Times Union
First published: Wednesday, December 5, 2007 

A recent front-page story in the Times Union ("Wealthy states no boost to  
low-income children," Nov. 23) highlighted the growing problem of poverty among  
children in our state. 

Forty percent of New York's children are  considered low-income, and that 
number is much higher among children of color  and among children who live in 
inner cities. 

New York ranked 48th among all states in how it treats poor kids. 

This is a moral issue, and a faith issue as well. We must do better,  and 
those of us who are part of faith communities must demand we do a lot  better. 

Our legislators in New York have refused to raise welfare benefits for  poor 
children for more than 17 years. This is a scandal that must be addressed. 

Because of the changes in the federal welfare program in 1996, New York  now 
receives more than a billion dollars a year in "surplus" welfare funding  that 
is supposed to be invested in helping poor families. 

Many other states have used these funds to pay for an increase in the  meager 
benefits. 
In New York, welfare benefits now fall below 50 percent of  the federal 
poverty level. It is still below 75 percent of poverty when food  stamps are 
included. 

New York has also made it more difficult for poor children to get  
assistance. The percentage of poor children receiving public assistance has  dropped 
from 69 percent to only 36 percent in 2005. 

We are also seeing many unmet needs in the area of child welfare and  child 
care. 
Another Times Union article ("U.S. fails children of color," an  opinion 
piece) focused on a new report by the Children's Defense Fund  highlighting the 
increasing criminalization of youth. Poor children and children  of color 
"already are in the pipeline to prison before taking a single step or  uttering a 
word." America spends three times as much per prisoner as it does per  student. 

With a projected $4 billion state budget deficit, Gov. Spitzer has been  
warning us about the tough times ahead. 

Traditionally, it is the poor, starting with children, who have borne  the 
most pain in resolving such budget deficits. 

Let's hope things really did change with Day 1, starting with finally  
increasing welfare benefits for our most vulnerable citizens. 

THE REV. CASS L. SHAW 
General Presbyter 
Albany Presbytery  
Watervliet 
 



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