Pachter: Align poverty line with LI costs

The news last month of the rise in the poor on Long Island -- 168,000 now live below the poverty line -- comes as no surprise to the many charitable groups that work with Nassau and Suffolk's poor and middle class. What may be surprising to others is the number of families that earn two or three times the national poverty level of $22,100 for a family of four and still can't afford to maintain their share of the suburban dream.

Organizations providing services to the unemployed, single parents, veterans, disabled and the elderly have seen the numbers of Long Islanders struggling near the poverty level increase dramatically over the past decade. There are simply too many Long Island families earning between $45,000 and $60,000 who are hurting as the regional economy continues to nose dive.

We see these families as they turn to emergency pantries for food in record numbers. We see them seeking basic medical care at hospital emergency rooms. And we see them negotiating the benefit maze at both county social services departments, in order to explore an entitlement program that might bring them some fiscal relief from the daily fight.

There is little to celebrate in the fact that our regional poverty rate of 6.1 percent is less than the national rate of 15.1 percent. When 168,000 of our neighbors don't know where their next meal is coming from or don't know if they will be able to pay their rent, or receive quality medical care, then we indeed have a crisis on Long Island.

But these numbers don't give an accurate picture of the problem's scope. Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy is absolutely correct in proposing that the national poverty level be regionalized to recognize the unique social and economic demographics of Long Island and other suburban communities that were once dominated by the rich. Long Island certainly has pockets of affluence. But it's a suburban community with urban problems and challenges.

Our congressional delegation should push for legislation to regionalize the national poverty level, to assist families who are struggling even though they earn two to three times the national income level for poverty.

In some parts of the country, $22,100 gets a family by. But with an average apartment costing more than $1,500 per month in rent, gas stabilized at $3.85 a gallon, utility costs on the rise, the marketbasket up, even those families on Long Island earning twice that can't make it.

Raising the poverty level to reflect the high cost of living on Long Island would result in an increase in aid to both the state and the counties -- more federal funding would come to the region, and additional families would be eligible to receive assistance and in some cases, life-sustaining support. Although local governments might be asked to assume some additional costs, the benefits to needy families outweigh the costs. It might not be popular in some circles to increase funding for supplemental food programs, Medicaid, free or reduced school meal programs, newborn health care, assistance with home heating costs, or rent subsidies, but if the poverty rate on Long Island were $44,200 for a family of four, many would find living here a bit more tolerable -- though still not affordable by a long shot.

Many may find a proposal like that too costly, too liberal -- even too socialist. But if you look around at your neighbors, your children and others scraping to get by, people who want to stay on Long Island but can't afford to, would the only answer be for them to leave? Our local economy is already suffering under the weight of the great Long Island exodus. By adjusting the poverty line we could be giving more of our neighbors a chance at surviving in suburbia.