Report: Poverty Affects 1.1 Million N.C. Homes

According to the Working is Not Enough report, based on 1997 data, 1.1 million N.C. families did not make enough money to reach a basic standard of living.

The report stated that stagnant wages in available jobs and inflationary increases in the cost of living led to the high number of poor families in a time of economic boom.

Also in the report were suggested solutions to the poverty problem such as raising minimum wage and increasing the supply of affordable housing.

N.C. Equity President Susan Markham said single-parent households headed by women were hardest hit.

"Almost half of female-headed households are in poverty," she said. "Women are disproportionately affected. With woman working more, there are increased costs like child care."

Markham said the economic situation of female-headed households could be attributed to the weakening of the dollar and a rise in costs for housing and child care.

She added that with a third of N.C. taxpayers living in poverty, families must make the difficult decision whether to pay rent or buy food.

She said government and private programs could play an important role in repairing North Carolina's poverty issue.

Markham said Gov. Mike Easley was interested in reviewing the reports findings.

Ruffin Poole, spokesman for Easley, said the governor has not designed any programs or plans to deal with poverty in North Carolina yet but will in the following weeks.

Markham said providing the families with adequate amounts of food would help ease the problem.

She said simplifying food stamp eligibility requirements would allow more needy families to buy enough food.

"People who are working one or two jobs are still not able to buy food," Markham said. "No one deserves to be hungry."

But Sen. Wilbur Gulley, D-Durham, said the necessary funds to expand state programs to aid people living near the poverty line are not available.

State officials estimate that North Carolina has a $480 million budget deficit.

The General Assembly convenes in a week and how to solve the deficit will likely be a hot topic.

But Gulley said the report will give state legislators something to think about during the coming session.

"I think it's a very important look at how tough it is for a large part of people in North Carolina to make it these days."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.