Three Ways the Ryan Budget Hits Latinos

Although experts in the field state that the Congressional House budget will be "dead on arrival" in the Senate, we have learned, this year, to keep our voices loud. It may be true that the "whole package" isn't set to pass, but we are learning that even the tiniest of program changes get integrated and have a profound effect on individuals and families struggling to make ends meet. Following is an article written by Melissa Boteach,Director of Half in Ten: The Campaign to Cut Poverty in Half in Ten Years, that highlights the effects of budget cuts on Colorado's fastest growing demographic. For more on the impact of the Ryan budget on the Latino community click here.

Statistics about marriage ensuring economic success are suspect at best

For low-wage workers, the math of marriage in which one plus one adds up and becomes two incomes may be true only infrequently over time. That creates instability. And while all workers may risk a job or earnings loss, there may be a low-income tipping point where instability feels boundless, not just some blip from which to bounce back.

-Jodie Levin-Epstein

Read more on the myth of marriage, poverty reduction and personal responsibility here.

HEALTH CARE REFORM, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT-IT'S ALL IN THERE

REMINDER TO JOIN US FOR THE DAY AT THE CAPITOL TAKE ACTION CAMPAIGN
APRIL 5, 2012 9:00 AM TO 2:30 PM WITH LUNCH AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
CALL OR EMAIL SHAIE WILSON TO RESERVE A SPOT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!
(SWILSON@CCLPONLINE.ORG OR 303-573-5669 EXT. 321)

THE DAY'S EVENTS~~

09:00 CLIFF EFFECT RESOLUTION PRESENTED TO THE COLORADO HOUSE WITH A TRIBUTE IN THE SENATE

09:45 MOVE TO OLD SUPREME COURT CHAMBERS

10:00 CAPITOL PROGRAM (LOREZ MEINHOLD—GOV. OFFICE HEALTH, KELLI PEREZ—GOV. OFFICE HUMAN SERVICES, LINDSAY HODEL—CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, BELL POLICY CENTER—BALLOT INITIATIVES)

11:00 STATE CAPITOL TOUR/COMMITTEE MEETINGS

12:00 COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH WITH LEGISLATORS (LEGISLATORS WILL HOST “ISSUE” TABLES SUCH AS CHILD CARE, CHILD WELFARE, ETC)

1:15 MOVE TO OLD SUPREME COURT CHAMBERS TO WRAP UP THE DAY (DEBRIEF AND GOODBYES)

2:30 PROGRAM CONCLUDES

April 5th is Advocacy Day at the Capitol-Join us on at "Po' People's Gathering"

Please join us for Advocacy Day—if he hadn’t been assassinated, Martin Luther King would have held a “Poor People’s March” on April 6, 1968.

In 2008 the CBMS Coalition held an Economic Justice rally in Denver’s City Civic Park and this year, organizations providing services to low-income women and their families are gathering at the capitol. Below is a list of the day’s activities. We expect a great turnout connecting the political to the personal and we hope you can join us.

If you require reimbursement or advance monies for travel please let us know.

09:00-09:45 CLIFF EFFECT RESOLUTION IN THE SENATE
09:45-10:00 MOVE INTO THE SUPREME COURT
10:00-11:00 CAPITOL PROGRAM(SPEAKERS FROM THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, AND OTHERS)
11:00-11:45 TOUR/ COMMITTEE MEETINGS
11:45-12:00 CROSS OVER TO 1ST BAPTIST
12:00-01:15 LUNCH WITH LEGISLATORS
01:15-01:30 MOVE TO OLD SUPREME COURT CHAMBERS
0130- 02:30 WRAP UP

TO RSVP, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Shaie Wilson
Program Assistant
Family Economic Security
Colorado Center on Law and Policy
303-573-5669 ext. 321

Poverty Scorecard -how we vote at the Federal level

Click here to review the Shriver Center Scorecard on Poverty. Colorado delegates vote as predicted, but the bill list is quite interesting.

One last reading room before the 2012 session begins

The following article illustrates the fall of the middle class and the struggle to maintain an standard of living that is self sufficient, but falls short:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/08/us/income-gap-profile/index.html

Tina Griego's column from earlier today includes data from Amber Tafoya's report "Snapshots of Colorado Latinos 2011" that highlights the disparities between the Latino population of Colorado and the population of Colorado as a whole:

http://www.denverpost.com/griego/ci_19708844


May the 2012 session be a productive one.

Reading Room - 1/4/2012

Happy New Year to all!

This first article I found last week is an analysis of the state of poverty in America, looking at what percentage of a family's $50,000 income goes to taxes and other critical and necessary expenses. Ultimately, it shows the state of inequality that exists among the lower income strata and why governmental supports are very necessary just to survive.

https://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/12/27-0

This second link is to a blog post by an individual currently based in Minnesota responding to the the comments in the series of primary debates. Most importantly, this post serves as a reality check as to what it truly takes in order to access any governmental benefits, and just how difficult it is to process and receive them.

http://www.iambrown.org/node/193

Reading Room for 12/16

I am sorry that I will not be able to make the meeting later today, but I have been meaning to post the first of the articles below, and just found the last this morning.

Have a great meeting.


A British reporter on a long term assignment in NYC has her first American health care experience, and all of the concern over cost that it involves:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/04/new-york-spider-us-private-healthcare

Gary Younge looks at the widening demographics of SNAP enrollees:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/dec/09/land-of-free-home-of-hungry

And from NPR, on the number of impoverished Americans:
http://m.npr.org/news/front/143770049?singlePage=true

Sesame Street is going there!

Poverty and hunger are interdependent and generational poverty equals hungry kids not being able to focus in school or drinking from water fountains to keep their bellies full. Kudos to Public Television and Sesame Street for letting children talk to children on this issue. Please check in for the Special if you have time.

Colorado Grandparents Living on the Edge

Grandparents Day 2011: Sept. 11

"I'm disabled and barely surviving on social security. My adult children live with me because there are no jobs. Medicare premiums went up so my social security is less this year than last. But the cost of everything is going up. We keep the heat down and eat cheap but the grandchildren need better food and clothes. I'm terrified. I don't want to be an old bag lady..." Colorado's One Away Campaign

Census Bureau statistics paint a story of Grandparents as Caregivers:

6.7 million The number of grandparents whose grandchildren younger than 18 lived with them in 2009.

2.7 million The number of grandparents responsible for most of the basic needs (i.e., food, shelter, clothing) of one or more grandchildren who lived with them in 2009. These grandparents represented about 40 percent of all grandparents whose grandchildren lived with them. Of these caregivers, 1.7 million were grandmothers, and 1 million were grandfathers.

8% Percentage of grandparents living with grandchildren who were caring for their grandchildren and whose income was below the poverty level. This represents half a million grandparents.

$45,007 Median income for families with grandparent-caregiver householders and/or spouses. If a parent of the grandchildren was not present, the median dropped to $33,417.

1.6 million The number of grandparents who were in the labor force and also responsible for most of the basic needs of their grandchildren.

700,000 Number of grandparents with a disability who were caring for their grandchildren.
If Colorado is serious about poverty reduction they must be serious about expanding resources for the aging population and recognize the stability elders provide for their families and their communities. For more information on what it takes to make ends meet and age in place please see the Colorado Elder Economic Security Standard Index. For more information on the role of Colorado in the re-authorization of the Older Americans Act go to check out this article.

Large Factor Influencing Poverty-

It's our own version of the Marie Antoinette story -- protesters marching for employment, a fair and just economy, and some "give back" from Wall Street are ridiculed while the Merrill Lynch bull is protected by the New York Police Department. Click here to take a look.

Welfare Reform's 15th Anniversary

Is welfare reform (now referred to as Temporary Aid to Needy Families) working? The answer depends on how you measure success. Following are a couple of opinions on what the data tells us. Note the alternative perspective that actually takes into account what it meant for families.

From House Ways and Means Committee

and from Jared Bernstein

Task Force Broadcasts through LIVE CHAT

Join the conversation from anywhere!

August 2011 Meeting Announcement

The Economic Opportunity
Poverty Reduction
Task Force
Invites you, your constituents and your partner organizations to the “Legislative Committees are Resilient” August 2011 meeting

The Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force continues to meet ad hoc during this year. This goal of this meeting is to set the stage for what needs to happen in 2012 as we continue to push for poverty reduction through economic opportunity. All are welcome.

Date: August 26, 2011
Time: 2:30 pm-5:00 pm

Location: Capitol Building (200 Colfax)
Committee Room 0109, Denver
The meeting will be broadcast over "Live Chat", so come back to the blog on Friday to participate.

PROPOSED AGENDA:
Introductions: Sen. Hudak & Rep. Summers
2010 Overview in Retrospect/Progress Report
Revisiting our Charter
Sustainability and Structure
De-brief of the 2011 County Collaborative and the REAL presentation
Debrief on the Wisconsin Poverty Report and other efforts
Mitigating the Cliff Effect Brainstorming Activity
Other Legislative Ideas and Trends
Wrap Up & Next Steps

Legislative Committee members include: Representative Mark Barker, Senator Betty Boyd, Senator Kevin Grantham,Senator Lucia Guzman, Senator Evie Hudak, Representative Joshi Janak, Representative Daniel Kagan, Representative John Kefalas, Representative Ken Summers and Senator Jean White.

The Womancession

What happens when there is a recovery and women don't see a change? What happens when child care assistance fades away and job hours are cut? Is the reduction of poverty related to women going back to work? From the Ms. Foundation, see the video on the WOMANCESSION

The Road to Shared Prosperity Story Map

The Coalition on Human Needs and Half in Ten release the Road to Shared Prosperity story map

The Half in Ten campaign and the Coalition on Human Needs are pleased to announce the release of the Road to Shared Prosperity, an interactive map displaying a collection of personal stories about programs building the American Dream.

Designed to be a rich resource for the public, all stories contained in the map are paired with data on a state’s social and economic situation to show that this is about more than one person’s struggle or one family’s encounter with the safety net, but rather systemic issues that federal programs are successfully addressing.

Half in Ten and the Coalition on Human Needs are seeking additional stories to add to the map, which will be updated regularly. We welcome short video clips and written stories from service providers, beneficiaries, community leaders, business owners, and others who can speak to the value of federal programs that build prosperity and increase opportunity for all Americans. If you’d like to add your story to the Road to Shared Prosperity, click here.

STILL WE RISE

The Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force begins its 2011 interim session much as the 12% of Coloradans living in poverty begin their summers. Although the Task Force was restored to its legislative status, it received no funding required to move forward and is required to "bootstrap" its way into legitimacy. The playing field for interim committees include funding for staff support from legislative council and travel reimbursement for participating legislators. This Task Force, reflective of the communities it is meant to represent, will not have access to those resources without another funding source. The playing field for the Task Force is not level, although resources are available.

STILL WE RISE: The Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force hosted a "meet and greet" with the Women's Family Action Network. The topic of the day was the "Colorado Cliff Effect" and many attendees were pleased with the discussion outcome. Look for other Task Force events throughout the summer and if you want to support the efforts of the group, contact Representative John Kefalas.

Unfair Pay Gap Harms Families and Children

If you want to reduce poverty, you've got to support pay equity and that is still an apparently long road. A must read are the 21 plus comments attached to Linda Meric's Denver Post op-ed on pay equity. While the article, also a must read, reminds us of another barrier to poverty reduction it's absolutely amazing that the male-dominated comments resort to the "evil" that lurks within a woman's call for fairness. When you're done wiping the tears from your eyes, join us, APRIL 12th at FUNKY BUDDHA'S (776 Lincoln Street)in support of the real issue at hand--Pay equity=Economic Opportunity=Family Security=Poverty Reduction!

The Rainy Day is Here--Use the Umbrella

HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE members need to hear your thoughts about how to handle TANF Reserve funds. Please contact any or all of them and let them know when money is to be reserved or when it is supposed to be spent. If you can join us next week, following are the details:

Bill SB11-124 - HODGE / GEROU Transfers Of County TANF Reserves

Wednesday, April 6 2011 Finance
1:30 p.m. Room LSB-A (1) in house calendar.

House Committee Members: Representative DelGrosso, Chairman; Representative Swerdfeger, Vice-Chairman; Acree, Beezley, Conti, Duran, Hullinghorst, Joshi, Kagan, Kefalas, Labuda, Pabon, Swalm

Free webinar-Supplemental Poverty Measure

You are invited to a groundbreaking event on measuring poverty reduction sponsored by the Center for American Progress. In partnership with the Half in Ten Campaign, the Network is hosting an event addressing the impact of the new Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) and how to measure the effectiveness of poverty reduction programs.

Representative McDermott (D-WA) will open the program with a keynote address and the following discussion will focus on how we can work together to develop shared anti-poverty goals that are inclusive of the most vulnerable sectors of society.

View a live webstreaming of the event by clicking here Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 8:00 am MST.