The stock markets have reached new heights, home property values continue to rise, unemployment is below the level considered full employment – even average wage levels are trending upward. This has to be the best of times – correct? If you have been fortunate to have been invested in all of the ascending values times are good and the optimism is reflected in the Consumer Confidence Index with two successive months of increase. At the same time we have one Presidential candidate who is calling for a universal basic income, citing studies that show that families and their children would benefit greatly from that investment. Ro Khana, a Northern California Representative, has a big idea to provide a hand up through an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit. This idea is strongly supported in a Newsweek story by Robert Reich, Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California Berkeley, and the former Secretary of Labor. The Earned Income Tax Credit was created in a bi-partisan act in 1975, has been expanded multiple times since then, and has been copied in 26 states and a few large cities. Working Americans are struggling to keep up with cost of living increases. Most American’s wages have remained relatively flat while we all have experienced the escalating costs of housing, food, health care, and child care. “More than 3/4 of Americans are now living paycheck to paycheck and most cannot afford a $500 emergency” according to Newsweek. This big idea should be on the agenda for each of us as we look to which party and Presidential candidate can make progress for the low and middle income citizens of our country.
This idea may sound like just another entitlement program – if so, it is one that will yield excellent returns on our investment. Today “nearly one in five American children is officially poor. That is roughly 15 million kids, however, the number living with a significant deprivation–insufficient food, seriously overcrowded housing or a lack of access to medical care due to cost–is actually much higher. According to the latest studies, it is more like 1 in 3.” states Jeff Madrick in a recent Time magazine article in The View. Officially, the poverty line for a family of four is about $26,200 but a now dated Gallup survey reported a break even income closer to $58,000 is needed. Madrick’s poverty definition: “The level below which we know that short- and long term damage is being done to children.” “A mountain of evidence now shows that poverty can lead to cognitive and emotional damage in children.” Poor kids are less healthy, drop out of school at higher rates, earn less money over time and are incarcerated at much higher rates than their peers. If the personal plight isn’t enough to make us look for a better way, analysis shows the Nation’s GDP is up to $1 trillion lower because of child poverty.” We could do this because it is the right thing to do but it also has payback for children, their families and our country.
Does Idaho face these issues? According to current statistics the poverty rate of Idaho residents enrolled in school is 19.8%, slightly better than the national average of 20.1%. Young children enrolled in nursery school in Idaho have a poverty rate of 14.4% and those in Grades 1-4 have a 17.5% poverty rate. Idaho ranks 28th in Poverty Rate at 14.5% the same as the National Average. In the Boise School District 15 schools are Title I designated which means of 50% of the students qualify for free and reduced lunch. Hats off to Governor Little who continues to focus Idaho on Education. Little has proposed a $26 million program to support early literacy, with funding intended for districts to utilize in kindergarten through third grade, “critical years for early readers.” Governor Little also put in a pitch for Pre-K but admitted he must focus first on the early literacy goals. Idaho has a long ways to go on finding parity in our education system.
In keeping with our recent attention to the founding fathers, John Adams, our second President and two term vice President to Washington believed “before any great things are accomplished, a memorable change must be made in the system of education…to raise the lower ranks of society nearer to the higher.” Education is the great equalizer and each child is entitled to the resources needed to allow that to be their opportunity.
On Super Bowl Sunday we hope to enjoy a great game on a level playing field. All of our children deserve the same conditions. Enjoy the week end. Mike