Bill Richardson on Welfare & Poverty Democratic Governor (NM); Secretary of Commerce-Designee

Strategy to deal with poverty: unions; living wage; EITC

New Mexico ranked 48th worst in poverty, but moving forward

A: We�ve made enormous progress in all of those areas. Let me talk about child poverty. I followed eight years of a Republican administration that did not invest in health care. What I have done as governor is I�ve insured every child under five. I�ve gotten rid of junk food in schools. We�ve increased immunization rates. As president, I would expand the earned income tax credit. I have cut taxes for the middle class in New Mexico. I have cut taxes for working families. We have significantly improved in the poverty area.

Q: But these rankings are troubling.

A: Well, we�re a poor state, but the fact is that we have been moving forward. We�ve increased spending on education and health care to attack some of those problems.

Increase tax deduction for charities

Indicate which principles you support regarding the poor & homeless.
• Provide tax incentives for companies to hire & train homeless people who want to work.
• Increase programs that help alcoholics & drug addicts recover.
• Increase the minimum wage.
• Provide homeless families with apartment vouchers.
• Increase the income tax deduction on individual contributions made to charities that help the poor and homeless.
• Implement enterprise zones in communities with high unemployment.