Greetings from the Coalition to End Child Poverty in Connecticut

Report to the Women's Equality Conference

The Coalition to End Child Poverty in Connecticut
35 Marshall Rd, Rocky Hill CT 06067 (860) 257-9782

Greetings to the Conference on Women's Equality and the Struggle for Democracy
Communist Party USA., Chicago, Illinois, March 24-25, 2001

Thank you for the invitation to participate in this important conference. We regret that the timing coincides with the busiest period at our State Legislature in Connecticut. We are in the midst of a battle to force debate on the issue of making a first priority elimination of child poverty, through redistribution of wealth. We would have enjoyed the opportunity to meet the other activists and organizations present.

Many children in poverty live in single parent, female head-of-household families. In our state most of the 35,000 put off welfare now have an even more difficult economic and family situation. Most new jobs are low-wage, non-union service jobs, often temporary and part-time. The impact of the Bush administration policies plus new cuts in the safety net in Connecticut are leaving many families stranded.

It is unacceptable that in the wealthiest state many families have to choose between school clothes and medicine, between child care and bus fare. Mothers often have to work several jobs because their pay is so low. Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to suffer problems related to health, emotional well-being and education.

Our coalition formed a year and a half ago, and now includes 40 labor, community, faith based and economic rights organizations. We have introduced legislation for a two percent tax on the portion of income above $200,000 to establish an End Child Poverty Social Investment Fund. This year, 25 legislators sponsored the bill. Our fight is to move the bill out of Committee.

We hope the deliberations at the Conference on Women's Equality will help raise the level of fightback across the country. Exchange of issues and experiences between women in the labor movement, unorganized and unemployed women, will help weave the solid fabric of unity necessary to turn back the policies of the extreme right-wing.

George Springer
Luz Santana
Joelle Fishman
For the Coalition to End Child Poverty

A.Philip Randolph Institute; American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Council 4; Black Parent Teacher Organization; Capitol Region Conference of Churches; Caucus of Concerned Democrats; Centro San Jose; City of New Haven Peace Commission; Coalition of Black Trade Unionists; Coalition for People; CT AFL-CIO; CT Alliance for Basic Human Needs; CT Call to Action; CT Citizens Action Group; CT Communist Party; CT Federation of Educational and Professional Employees; CT Green Party; CT Interfaith Budget Watch; Democracy Works; Fair Haven Housing Initiative; Families F.I.R.S.T.; Greater New Haven Labor Council; Hartford Federation of Teachers; Interfaith Cooperative Ministries; Junta for Progressive Action; Mothers for Justice; New Growth Outreach Ministries; New Haven Federation of Teachers Retiree Chapter, 933-R; New Haven Peace Council; New Haven People's Center; Student Health OUTreach of New Haven; Yale; Survivin' N Da Hood; Top Ten Karate Studio; Trinity College Womens Center; UCONN Organization of Black Social Work Students; Vecinos Unidos; Western CT Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO; Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Hartford ~ List in Formation