Economically Self-Sufficient Families

Low-income and/or single parent families, some with inadequate or unsafe housing, face extraordinary challenges in providing the basic necessities of life. Such families are vulnerable to an array of social and economic challenges: unemployment, crime, teenage pregnancy, lack of an adequate education and the need for public assistance. Eliminating poverty is an initiative likely to strengthen our communities in many ways, not just economically. It is our desire that all families are economically self-sufficient as measured by:

• Reduction in the percentage of children under age six living in poverty.
• Reduction in the percentage of families with children under the age of six living in poverty.
• Increase in the percentage of welfare recipients leaving public assistance because of gainful employment or higher incomes.
• Reduction in the unemployment rate among parents with children under the age of six.
• Increase in the percentage of employed parents, with children under the age of six, who earn a "living wage".
• Increase in the percentage of parents, with children under the age of six, who have advanced training beyond high school.
• Increase in the percentage of families, with children under the age of six, able to access affordable and quality early education and care based on the family's and child's needs.
• Reduction in the percentage of families, with children under the age of six, living in inadequate or no housing (e.g., homeless, overcrowded, lacking complete plumbing, lacking a complete kitchen, substandard, condemned).

If these positive outcomes can be achieved, when Florida's infants and young children become older we will impact spending and save taxpayer resources by:

• Reducing the growth rate of foster care homes and associated payments.
• Reducing the growth rate of adoptions subsidies.
• Reducing the growth rate of cash subsidies to families who cannot earn a "living wage".
• Increasing the growth rate of the tax base for Florida.
• Increasing the growth rate of Florida's per capita income.
• Increasing the Gross State Product (due to higher earnings, increased expenditures, personal savings and investments) for Florida.

Back to Top

---