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In the Mayor's race this year, all of the candidates spoke regularly of the need for more federal support to address our crime epidemic and to provide adequate support for affordable housing, education, job training, and support for at-risk families. It's no secret that we have experienced significant cutbacks in all of these areas and as was the case in the 1980's when the Reagan budget cuts hit the country, we are all paying a heavy price.
At this time, support for America's communities is not yet on the radar screen in the Presidential race--even though attacking poverty itself has been a theme of both Edwards' and Obama's campaigns.
We need to start raising hell about all of this starting now--and throughout the year--if we hope to get the kind of federal government we need next year.
Consider this piece and the data supporting it a start.
Ed Schwartz
Posted on Tue, Oct. 30, 2007
Study points to drop in federal spending on communities here
By DAVE DAVIESdaviesd@... 215-854-2595
Federal spending in Philadelphia on housing, education, law enforcement, job training and other services has dropped by $287 million a year since the Bush administration began, according to an analysis by a local think tank.
"Federal investment in communities has been devastated, and we're now facing the consequences of that devastation," said Ed Schwartz, president of the Institute for the Study of Civic Values.
"We're seeing more homeless people on the street as housing funds are cut," Schwartz said. "We have terrible crime problems, and federal funding for law enforcement is down, too."
Schwartz released his analysis as Democratic presidential candidates gather for a debate tonight at Drexel University.
The debate among seven Democratic contenders is sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee.
It's expected to be more closely-watched than some recent encounters, as U.S. Sen. Barack Obama has said he'll become more aggressive in criticizing front-runner U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton.
"These issues haven't risen to a priority in national politics," Schwartz said. "The Republican candidates want to cut spending even more. The Democrats have spoken out about poverty, but there hasn't been a clear, unequivocal statement that federal investment in communities has to be a priority in the new administration."
The institute's analysis is drawn from U.S. Census Bureau data on all federal spending that affects specific geographical areas, including Social Security payments, federal procurement contracts, payments to federal employees and grants to local governments and nonprofits.
The analysis shows that overall, federal spending in Philadelphia has actually grown by more than $2 billion annually since 2000, most of that has been in federally-funded insurance payments to poor families through Medicaid.
Federal grants have also risen in some areas, particularly research assistance to universities and hospitals, but Schwartz said programs that help poor and struggling communities will continue to suffer if the cuts continue. *
TODAY ON PHILLY.COM
Rm. 702, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107 215-238-1434 edcivic@...
ISCV web site: http://www.iscv.org
Also Check out "Neighborhoods Online" at http://www.neighborhoodsonline.net.
Or in Philadelphia: http://www.phillyneighborhoods.org
"Citizenship is the American ideal. There may be an army of actualities
opposed to that ideal, but there is no ideal opposed to that ideal."
--G.K. Chesterton
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