Fathers missing in fight to cut poverty

NEW YORK – New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday said that fighting poverty now requires enlisting fathers, explaining the last decade of progress stemmed mainly from putting mothers to work.

Speaking in Washington DC, the mayor also proposed making the earned income-tax credit more generous by letting younger individuals qualify and increasing the income limits. Calling the earned income-tax credit the “best anti-poverty programme ever devised,” the independent mayor, who is a potential presidential candidate, added: “If we are going to achieve another round of substantial gains like we experienced post-1996, then we have to do more to connect fathers to jobs and to their families.”In 1996, new work requirements for welfare recipients were enacted under former Democratic President Bill Clinton.Bloomberg, a former Republican, praised those reforms for taking aim at “dependency on government,” which he said was a principal cause of poverty.New York City’s mayor said his plan would help 19,7 million Americans – adding 10,5 million people to the current programme.Though New York City is home to some of the nation’s wealthiest individuals, about 1,5 million of its 8,4 million residents live in poverty, Bloomberg said.Another important cause of poverty is a lack of education, said the mayor, who won a second term partly by telling voters to hold him accountable for improving the city’s schools.Cutting the age limit for the earned income-tax credit to 21 from 25 years old, and making other adjustments, including higher income limits, would let people who make US$11 000 a year get nearly US$1 000 more in after-tax income, Bloomberg said.Those individuals now only get US$86, he added.The state and city earned income-tax credits would add another US$350.The proposed higher income limits, for example, would rise to US$18 000 from US$12 000 for single adults who have no children.But Bloomberg would penalise parents who fail to pay child support.”If you owe child support and you’re not current on your payments, no check from the IRS.Period,” he said.Nampa-ReutersCalling the earned income-tax credit the “best anti-poverty programme ever devised,” the independent mayor, who is a potential presidential candidate, added: “If we are going to achieve another round of substantial gains like we experienced post-1996, then we have to do more to connect fathers to jobs and to their families.”In 1996, new work requirements for welfare recipients were enacted under former Democratic President Bill Clinton.Bloomberg, a former Republican, praised those reforms for taking aim at “dependency on government,” which he said was a principal cause of poverty.New York City’s mayor said his plan would help 19,7 million Americans – adding 10,5 million people to the current programme.Though New York City is home to some of the nation’s wealthiest individuals, about 1,5 million of its 8,4 million residents live in poverty, Bloomberg said.Another important cause of poverty is a lack of education, said the mayor, who won a second term partly by telling voters to hold him accountable for improving the city’s schools.Cutting the age limit for the earned income-tax credit to 21 from 25 years old, and making other adjustments, including higher income limits, would let people who make US$11 000 a year get nearly US$1 000 more in after-tax income, Bloomberg said.Those individuals now only get US$86, he added.The state and city earned income-tax credits would add another US$350.The proposed higher income limits, for example, would rise to US$18 000 from US$12 000 for single adults who have no children.But Bloomberg would penalise parents who fail to pay child support.”If you owe child support and you’re not current on your payments, no check from the IRS.Period,” he said.Nampa-Reuters