poverty

Many of us when we think of poverty we think of third world countries. Perhaps because we are presented with images of poverty on the news or movies like Slum Dog Millionaire or City of Gods and form commercials asking to donate to help feed the poor children in a foreign country. Here in our own back yard in the USA we have families that are poor.  These documentaries may not be as popular as blockbuster movies, but all of these videos are about poverty in our own country.  

What is a Living Wage focuses on the public policy of providing a wage that allows workers to make enough money to survive without government assistance. Critics of the living wage say that the policy is a job killer because workers make more money than most laborers make and more than most companies can afford to pay, and so those companies don’t hire workers. However, only companies that are subsidized by the government are required to pay the living wage, and the assistance those companies get should also benefit the workers. 

Living Wage in New York focuses on the public policy of supporting workers in a way that allows them to function in the economy where they live. The policy is to support workers so they will not require government assistance and so they can be self sufficient. This video addresses the critics of the living wage, saying that the living wage in New York, even though it’s about three dollars more per hour than the federal minimum wage, is not excessive and is necessary in order to keep those workers out of poverty and allow them to live in the very expensive city of New York.

Demonizing the Inner City shows how the media portrays the culture of poor people as living in the inner city, being lawless and drug addicted, having children out of wedlock, having no values, and being responsible for crime. Many people believe that the poor in some way deserve to be poor because of their lifestyle, lack of motivation, and poor choices. The public supports laws that punish the behavior believed to be done by poor people. For example, by requiring life sentences for the third felony. The policy behind laws like that is to incarcerate poor people to prevent them from behaving in undesirable ways. But this video shows that in reality, many of the poor who collect welfare don’t live in inner cities, are not minorities, and do not participate in criminal lifestyles. 

Born in the USA shows the culture of poor white people in the south. Some have lived for two or more generations in poverty, and they are more likely to be poor because they were born poor. Others are also poor because of their situation: divorce, injuries, job loss. The culture of the poor sometimes includes having larger families because family is all they have, not wanting their children to be educated because they become more likely to leave the family. The public policy behind the welfare reform of 1991, which requires people on welfare to get a job within 2 years, or the welfare payments will stop. This policy tries to discourage and break the multigenerational poverty cycle and encourage poor people to work.

week 2

Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

The neighborhood of Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, New York, has been gentrifying since the 1960’s, and it would be a great place for a childless professional couple.

Much of the residential area surrounds Carroll Park, which is still used by local families. Children go to the elementary school across the street. The streets surrounding the park are lined with beautiful brownstones built before 1900 (Brooklyn, n.d., para 2).  Even owning one floor of a brownstone is very expensive, and only upper middle class people live there today. Educated people want to live in areas with rich history and beautiful architecture. Outdoor space, such as private yards and public parks, are desired, too.

The area was once home to working class people, mostly Italians, who worked in local warehouses, the Red Hook docks, and the Brooklyn Navy yards, which closed in 1966 (Brooklyn, n.d., para 3). The neighborhood still has some Italian influences, as seen in local Catholic churches, a cafe with the Virgin Mary in the courtyard, and a traditional Italian delicatessen that sells handmade ravioli. Educated people moving to the area value diversity and a sense of culture. Many of the newcomers are white and upper middle class. The minorities, mostly Hispanics, live in nearby areas, like Red Hook, where there is government housing. In between, there are tenement buildings, converted into condominiums, which are more affordable than those in Manhattan and attract a diverse group of professional people. 

Today, people who can afford it take advantage of Carroll Gardens’ location just outside the major metropolis of Manhattan, a cultural, financial, and international center. The half hour subway commute is valued by those who would rather not drive. Some people commute to work, and others commute to enjoy all the city has to offer. Carroll Gardens is a walkable neighborhood with mixed use buildings. On the short walk home from the subway stations in Carroll Gardens, there are cafes and bars, boutiques and specialty stores, like Stinky Cheese, as well as locally owned hardware stores and a YMCA gym. Within a half hour walk, there is the Brooklyn Opera, Brooklyn Library, and Prospect Park. 

The neighborhood of Carroll Gardens is appealing because it’s a beautiful, diverse neighborhood with walkable amenities just a short distance from Manhattan.  

Reference

Brooklyn Public Library. (n.d.). Our Brooklyn: Carroll Gardens. 

Retrieved from: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/ourbrooklyn/carrollgardens/

Readings

I valued the idea of procedural policy making. It is important that all stake holders are, at a minimum, notified about changes so that they can voice their opinions. This strives for fair process. 

I also find public policies interesting in the chapter because the main purpose is to provide services for all residents with out the  exclusion of any. For example public safety is provided to everyone whether they pay taxes or not. In my opinion public policy should address health care for all residents and quality and affordable education for individuals seeking higher education.

My name is Arturo Mendoza
My mayor is in Urban Metropolitan Studies.
I'm employ with the City of Phoenix Municipal Court