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CITY OF BOSTON
IN CITY COUNCIL
Resolution
of Councilor Sam Yoon, Michael P. Ross, Salvatore LaMattina, Felix D.
Arroyo & Chuck Turner
Calling on the Boston City Council to Engage the Residents of Boston
To Address, Take Action and Work with the Council to identify solutions
on the issues of poverty and hunger in the City
WHEREAS:
The problem of poverty in Boston persists as a major challenge,
where more than 20% of all persons living in this city are impoverished;
and where 26% of all children under the age of 17 are impoverished, and,
WHEREAS:
There has been relatively little or no improvement in reducing the
proportion of impoverished families living in Boston since 2000, and,
WHEREAS:
Poverty is extensive throughout the city, but concentrated in the
neighborhoods of Roxbury, North Dorchester, East Boston, and
Allston-Brighton, and,
WHEREAS:
The increased tax burden, the subsequent exodus of working class
jobs, and the decline in city services, particularly in education and
human services, continues to plague the city while thousands of families
and children remain living in impoverishment, and
WHEREAS:
In the city of Boston today more than 60% of its students in the
public schools live at or below the poverty level, and
WHEREAS:
More than 75% of Boston public school students qualify for federal
school lunch programs, and,
WHEREAS:
The lack of affordable housing in the city of Boston has placed
unreasonable burdens upon poor and working people in securing adequate
housing for themselves and their families, and
WHEREAS:
The number of individuals and families suffering from diabetes,
high blood pressure, and obesity, diseases caused by inadequate diet and
hunger associated with poverty are at an all time high in the city of
Boston, and
WHEREAS:
Funding cuts in human services, mental health, library sciences,
housing, health care, recreation, the arts, public works, drug and
alcohol, community development and education programs and to the agencies
and community-based nonprofits that provide these services, have made city
neighborhoods less stable and vibrant and thereby possibly contribute to
increasing violence in some of these neighborhoods, and,
WHEREAS:
The number of families who are homeless, or facing the possibility
of homelessness, and in need of decent housing, are at its highest levels
in more than a decade, and,
WHEREAS:
The Boston City Council believes that it is essential that it take
the lead in working towards solutions to the problem of poverty and hunger
in the city of Boston, and
WHEREAS:
The Boston City Council recognizes that within its boundaries
reside some of the nation�s leading academics, research institutions,
and advocates with a wealth of expertise, on the issues of poverty and
hunger and that the Council in its efforts to address these issues,
actively reach out and ask that they partner with us and lend their
expertise and resources in this effort, and,
WHEREAS:
The Council further believes that those most affected by the
problems of poverty and hunger should be, and must be, an equal and
welcomed partner in the discussion about how Boston confronts the problem
of poverty, THEREFORE:
BE
IT RESOLVED: That the Boston City
Council during 2007 commit itself to understanding the causes and reasons
for poverty and hunger in the city of Boston, and work with advocates,
academics, affected citizens, and people of good will to develop ideas and
strategies to resolve the issues of poverty
in the city of Boston, and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That
the Boston City Council present to the citizens and the Mayor of Boston
its findings, recommendations, and proposed plan of action by the end of
2007.
Filed
in Council: April 4, 2007 |
