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Colorado child poverty rate up 85%Among highest in nationPeter Marcus, DDN Staff WriterWednesday, June 17, 2009 | |
Colorado has one of the highest rates in the nation for childhood poverty, posting an 85-percent increase over seven years, according to a report released yesterday.
The annual KidsCount in Colorado! report released yesterday states that more than 192,000 children were living in poverty in 2007, compared to 104,000 in 2000. Poverty is defined by an annual family income of $22,050 for a family of four.
The report marks a 12-percent spike over the increase posted last year, leaving children’s advocates concerned.
“Maintaining the well-being of Colorado’s children is increasingly difficult in a tough economy, when many parents have lost jobs and income,” said Chris Watney, interim president of the Colorado Children’s Campaign, which conducted the research. “By many different measures, including low educational achievement, health programs and other challenges, poverty is the largest obstacle for Colorado’s youngest citizens.”
While the national average has remained at 22 percent over the same period, the percent of young children in low-income families in Colorado has increased 50 percent, from 14 percent in 2000 to 21 percent in 2007.
Former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo, an outspoken critic of illegal immigration, said last year that the poverty spike is the result of both legal and illegal immigration. “It is irresponsible for the media and the governor to not recognize the fact that immigration is largely to blame for this increase,” said Tancredo at the time. “If Colorado were actually enforcing its own laws, we would reduce the number of people in that category.”
Colorado ranks eighth highest in the nation for the annual cost of center-based infant care, according to the report. The state also ranks third highest in the nation in the average annual cost of care for a 4-year-old in a child care center.
While Tancredo points to immigration, Watney says the issue is about securing affordable child care and promoting education.
“By helping families lift themselves out of poverty, keeping them from falling into it, and addressing the needs of their young children, work supports like quality child care play a powerful role in improving our children’s well-being,” said Watney.
| Comments: |
| MaryJ @ 2009-06-17 11:41:25 | Well of course our poverty rates are going up -- we're importing it by the truckload from Mexico and other points south. Duh! But why should Americans be made to feel guilty by the fact that people who come here without our permission from a Third World country are poor? Are we supposed to believe that Pedro from Oaxaca with the third grade education magically transforms into a PhD. from Yale the minute he crosses the magical US border? |
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| ratbstard @ 2009-06-18 08:37:09 | It would seem Americans just 'have to pay' without having a 'SAY'. Those that dare to speak up are labeled 'Racists'. jmo |
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| steve @ 2009-06-18 10:22:26 | This is what happens when you import poverty. It is immoral to import the third world's poor when so many of our citizens are suffering. |
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| Brittancus @ 2009-06-18 16:09:59 | The support of illegal immigration will be astronomical to the American taxpayer, but not to the predatory employer and contractors who hire them. Say--YES--to e-verify! It will empty the workplace of illegal labor stealing jobs. Errors can be resolved at the Social Security office, where illegal workers wouldn't dare to go. Say--NO--to any AMNESTY. Last one was full of fraud and never enforced. The 1986 Simpson/Mazzoli bill is still on the books and just need a few amendments to strengthen it' s laws. The Special interest lobby wants to rescind it. Digest more of the facts and unbiased truth at NUMBERSUSA, JUDICIAL WATCH, CAPSWEB, and ALIPAC. At AMERICANPATROL, learn about the massive upsurge on illegal alien criminal activity all across our nation. ANOTHER INTERESTING SITES OFFERS DAYLIGHT ON THE COST OF INCARCERATING ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS at THEDARKSIDEOFILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
It's not about bigotry but about forced mandated taxes to underwrite illegal immigration. It's about waiting for the next hordes of foreigners, anticipating another BLANKET AMNESTY and ready to rush the border. Both sides of the coin have violent types, who take their activist attitudes to far. It's about massive waves of criminals, poor, uneducated and sick family unification--CHAIN MIGRATION-- that you will be the beneficiary too. INFORM YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMAN--NO--TO ANY AWARDS OR AMNESTY TO LAWBREAKERS.
A traumatic example of runaway benefits to illegal immigrants, where City Councilor Andronivich states 11 billion dollars attributed to these families, that the state has nearly bankrupted itself with a 27 billion dollar crash. The special interest lobby try to force a face of bigotry or racism on any group that defies open borders and free trade. This has nothing to do with xenophobia. But everything to do with the RULE of LAW and the federal mandates forced on ordinary Americans to support the 20 million plus illegal immigrant invasion. |
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