New York—Slogans like ‘Tax the Rich, Don’t Starve the Poor’ and ‘End Poverty Now’ hung in the hands of ‘Hunger Action Network of New York State’ (HAN) members on Tuesday Aug. 26th at the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building in Harlem.
According to statistics released today by the federal government, NY’s poverty level is higher than the national average of 13.0 percent by 0.7 percent. Combine that with the fact that New York’s poor haven’t seen a raise in the basic welfare grant since 1990, despite an average inflation on common household goods, food and medicine (according to the HAN survey) of 272 percent in the last 18 years, means the poor are ever more desperate for help.
“I didn’t eat this morning, and I didn’t eat last night,” said Bronx resident Betty Teaque, who spent the last 3 and a half years homeless on the streets of Harlem before moving into her own place in the Bronx recently.
HAN raved about Governor Paterson’s previous support when he was Harlem’s representative in Senate, but claim that now he is the Governor of NY he’s forgotten them. They want to see a raise in welfare included in the next budget plan for NY.
“(Paterson) had an absolutely fantastic anti-poverty record, a real advocate on behalf of struggling New Yorkers,” explained Lisa Ritchie, New York State Public Policy Coordinator for the HAN. “Since he’s become governor he’s done nothing but leave them out in the cold… nobody should go hungry, nobody should go cold, nobody should be poor.”
What have HAN heard from Gov. Paterson recently? “All we’ve heard from him are apologies and excuses and that’s not going to fill people’s stomachs,” said Ritchie.
Gov. Paterson has a much on his plate, with the national economy plunging and a rapidly growing state deficit to balance. With huge budget cuts planned for NY in the next two years, state agencies are more likely to see cuts rather than increases.
Paterson addressed the citizens of New York State during a live televised broadcast last month. He is convinced the state faces its worst fiscal crisis since the mid-1970s.
“These savings are an essential part of getting New York’s fiscal house in order,” Governor Paterson said during the speech. “With the state facing growing fiscal challenges, I have directed each commissioner to sharply focus their operations on their agency’s core mission. Especially in the current economic environment, we have a responsibility to the taxpayers to carefully scrutinize every dollar we spend.”
The governor’s address last month announced that plunging state revenues will force painful cuts in state services, necessitate a reduction in the state work force, possibly through layoffs, and require other difficult economic measures.
