Written by: Jim Hansen
Monday, June 11, 2007

Resolution Calling on Idaho’s Congressional Delegation to support Idaho Children and Working Families

Whereas, the gap between the richest and the poorest Idahoan continues to grow; By the early 2000s, the average income of Idaho’s poorest fifth of all families was $17,847, and the average income of the middle fifth of all families was $41,122, while the richest fifth of all families had incomes on average of $100,067. In addition, 192,390 people in Idaho are poor – with incomes below $19,971 for a family of four,

Whereas, too many Idahoans are uninsured; There are about 45,120 children and 171,730 adults between the ages of 19 and 64 uninsured in Idaho today and the administration's budget proposal would reduce the number of children covered by SCHIP nationally.

Whereas, too many Idahoans have a hard time feeding their families; During the period 2003-2005, 14.1 percent of Idaho families were “food insecure,” according to the Department of Agriculture, up from 13.7 percent during the period 2000-2002. That means 75,000 families, mostly those with at least one person working full time, had a hard time putting enough food on the table.

Whereas, too many Idaho residents lack the education they need to get good jobs; At a time when a high-quality, comprehensive education is essential for a prosperous future, Census Bureau data show that 10.9 percent of adult Idaho residents lack a high school diploma, and only 25.9 percent have graduated from college.

Whereas, too many Idaho residents pay more than they can afford for housing; When housing costs exceed 30 percent of a family’s income, it becomes difficult to meet even the most basic family needs. U.S. Census Survey data show that 42 percent of households in Idaho are paying more than 30 percent of their income for rent, and 19 percent are paying half or more – leaving too little to pay for other necessities.

And whereas, President Bush continues to ignore the needs of working class Americans by staying on course with dangerous budget cuts that affect the lives of millions of Americans while giving tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans,

Therefore be it resolved that the Idaho State AFL-CIO, through its executive board and all delegates from the 49th annual convention, call on Representatives Bill Sali and Mike Simpson to support a federal budget that reflects the values and priorities of ordinary Americans and to oppose irresponsible tax cuts that favor the wealthy and corporate special interests at the expense of working- and middle-class Americans. We also call on our representatives not to preemptively declare their support for – or vote later to sustain – an ideologically motivated presidential veto of funding plans that address Idahoans’ critical human needs

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