On October 13, Governor Hochul’s office will convene the New York State Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council for the first time. The New York State Child Poverty Reduction Act was signed into law in December after passing both houses of the New York State legislature in June 2021.
Schuyler Center President and CEO Kate Breslin is an appointed member of the Advisory Council, along with several Schuyler Center advocacy partners.
The Child Poverty Reduction Act makes a bold and necessary commitment to the actions required to reduce child poverty in the state by 50% by 2033, and the Council’s convening is a critical first step.
Child Poverty Reduction is a Bipartisan Priority
For too long, New York has allowed hundreds of thousands of children to endure the hardships of poverty—in times of recession, and in times of plenty. In New York State last year, 747,000 children were living in poverty, representing 19% of all New York children, with that percentage a full 9 points higher for Black children, and 7 points higher for Latino children.
In 2021, NYS legislators made it clear that it was past time to firmly commit to doing better for New York’s children. That year, The Child Poverty Reduction Act, spearheaded by Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, swept through the NYS Legislature. The Act had near-unanimous support from upstate and downstate, rural, urban, and suburban legislators and constituents, as well as having bipartisan co-sponsorship.
The time to solve New York’s child poverty problem is now. Governor Hochul has stated that child poverty reduction is a priority of her administration, and the coming year’s State budget will be the time to put that broad commitment into action.
First Advisory Council Meeting: A Step Toward Action
The Advisory Council’s first meeting is an important step toward meaningful, concrete action, and Schuyler Center applauds Governor Hochul for convening this initial group of dedicated policy advocates, service providers, community members, and NYS agency leaders.
Working toward a significant reduction in New York’s child poverty rate will require that New Yorkers with lived experience participate in the conversation. Centering New Yorkers who have been impacted by poverty is essential to putting the right solutions in place.
As advocates for poverty-fighting public policy, Schuyler Center is eager to work alongside the Advisory Council on concrete and transformative action, designed with the intention to reduce child poverty and its racial inequity. Our children deserve more than talk and empty promises, and the need for action is urgent.
“By enacting The Child Poverty Reduction Act, Governor Hochul boldly set the expectation that New York State will intentionally, significantly, and consistently cut child poverty, year over year,” said Kate Breslin, Schuyler Center President and CEO and Advisory Council appointee. “Beyond that, and just as important, the law holds policymakers publicly accountable for whether and how policy and budget decisions affect children living in poverty. The Child Poverty Reduction Act creates the roadmap to a future in which New York is deliberate about reducing child poverty and addressing inequity. I am eager to get to work alongside other members of the Advisory Council.”
Read the full statement.
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