WNED-AM 970 NEWS
(2007-08-29)
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Buffalo is ranked second on the list, with 29-point-9 percent of the city's population living below the poverty level. That's a three percent increase over the year before.
The Director of the University at Buffalo's Regional Institute Katherine Foster calls it a large jump. Poverty, Foster says, is a cronic problem in Buffalo.
"We have an older population...we have people who have been struggling and just trying to get by. In general in New York State...we're higher than the rest of the nation in terms of poverty rates," Foster said.
Mayor Byron Brown says he's not surprised by the numbers.
"We will continue to work hard and work aggressively to bring jobs into this community because that's the number one issue for us," Brown said.
Brown says he's partnering with the School District and other community groups to promote literacy and math amoung young people.
Brown says investing in the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus and other downtown developments will also help attract new businesses.
Listen to Mike Desmond's interview with Katherine Foster of U.B.'s Regional Institute by clicking the LISTEN icon or downloading the MP3 file. © Copyright 2010, wned
