DC's New Mayor to Cut Services to Most Vulnerable Residents

Earlier this month Washington, D.C. got a new mayor, Vincent Gray, and he’s already getting off to a poor start.

At a recent D.C. City Council meeting, a plan was approved that would cut off direct public assistance to recipients who are in the program longer than five years. Mayor Gray claims the reason for the cuts is financial.

The plan will cut and over time eliminate benefits to city residents who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits for over five years.

What makes this plan most frustrating for those of us organizing around poverty issues is that it is coming from someone who has worked with families in need as the former Director of D.C.'s Department of Human Services. One would think with those years of experience he would understand what families are going through - especially during this recession time.

“Clearly Mr. Gray knows what the harm will be to families," said Judith Sandalow, Executive Director of the Children’s Law Center. "He has a lifetime of experience of working with low-income families, so I don't understand why he felt a need to do this."

In a related story, "bureaucratic inaction" has also led to the closing of D.C.'s City Gate Merrick Center, a vital after school program for working families. Without consistent and secure child care, working families are forced to make impossible decisions regarding their employment and the care of their children. Many parents will be forced to cut back on their hours or leave their jobs completely. Without childcare, many parents cannot work. Without work, poverty deepens and the vicious cycle continues.

Unfortunately, many people in power have a myopic view of how to treat issues associated with poverty. Cutting life saving benefits may save the city some money in the short term, yet without these benefits, a family is faced with more obstacles to overcome in order to achieve stability. Families are at a greater risk of becoming homeless and/or losing their health insurance. Providing shelter and/or medical services through an emergency room to a family would create an even larger financial burden on the city. Prevention is always more cost effective than trying to manage larger issues associated with poverty and homelessness. Mayor Gray’s claim of “financial” reasons for these cuts doesn’t make financial sense.

As a nation, aren’t we working to end the dangerous cycle of poverty? But by cutting TANF, Gray would be fueling this cycle and providing little means for families to becoming more self-sufficient. People must have their basic needs met in order to remain stable and build towards further prosperity. Cutting benefits becomes counterproductive to the overall goal of helping people overcome poverty.

Many living in poverty do not have the means or ability to voice their concerns. Working together, we can create a collective, powerful voice to influence real change. Let’s welcome Vincent Gray to his new position as Mayor of Washington, D.C. with a petition demanding that he overturn the decision to cut this vital funding!

Photo Credit: Henry Camacho