[New York] Mayor Convenes Anti-Poverty Task Force

from New York 1

Poverty was a hot button issue in the recent mayoral campaign. Democratic candidates accused Mayor Michael Bloomberg of not doing enough to fight it.

Today, the mayor convened the first meeting of his new anti-poverty task force. He wants the group to come up with a plan to spur economic opportunities. The task force is co-chaired by Time Warner chairman and CEO Richard Parsons.

"We should be about coming up with realistic, action-oriented recommendations that will enable this city and its business and non-profit communities to do a better job of helping people escape poverty and helping those who can," says Parsons.

"[When] you lift someone out of poverty, you change the generational future of those folks forever. said Geoffrey Canada, CEO, Harlem Children's Zone.

"The journey ahead is not going to be an easy one. It wont be straight forward, we have some hard work," said the mayor. "We have to think outside the box. We know we are capable."

The mayor has given the task force until Labor Day to come up with a plan.