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

Comments