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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 331-08
August 26, 2008

STATEMENT OF MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FINDING PERCENTAGE OF NEW YORKERS LIVING IN POVERTY WAS DOWN IN 2007 - UNLIKE THE REST OF THE UNITED STATES

United States Census Bureau Reported Today That 18.5 Percent of New York City Residents Live In Poverty – Down From 19.2 Percent in 2006

Nation's Rate Rose from 12.3 Percent in 2006 to 12.5 Percent in 2007

Federal Report is located www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html - City's Alternative Poverty Measure is at www.nyc.gov/html/ceo/html/home/home.shtml

"Today's Census Bureau numbers are good news for New Yorkers, and the fact that the City's poverty rate continued to decline even as the national rate ticked up suggests that our innovative efforts to move people from welfare to work, improve our schools, and create jobs throughout the five boroughs appear to be paying off. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that today's statistics are based on a federal poverty formula that is both outdated and broken. If we are serious about fighting poverty, we first have to measure the problem accurately. And while today's numbers show progress, there are still far too many New Yorkers who are struggling to make ends meet. That is why the City's Center for Economic Opportunity is working hard to develop new and creative anti-poverty programs, many of them market-based. We will continue our aggressive efforts to identify successful new strategies to help people break the cycle of poverty and share our lessons learned with others."







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser / Dawn Walker (Mayor’s Office)   (212) 788-2958

Kathleen Carlson (Center for Economic Opportunity)   (212) 788-8949




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