Governor Wes Moore claims that the area has been ignored and underappreciated for far too long. He believes that Brooklyn is one of Baltimore’s best examples of “concentrated poverty,” which is why he picked the borough to unveil his proposal to combat it.
The median household income in the state of Maryland is $98,000. The median salary in Brooklyn is $35,000. Approximately 10% of kids in Maryland will not complete their high school education. One in three Brooklyn pupils will not complete their high school education. Approximately 1 in 8 children in the state of Maryland live in poverty. Approximately one in two children in Brooklyn live in poverty, according to Moore. It’s a tale we continue to hear from people throughout our state, from the Eastern Shore to Mountain Maryland and all points in between. There is a recurring narrative that suggests the likelihood of dying impoverished if you are born into poverty.
He is so asking places like Brooklyn, what steps must you take to make that change. Under his “ENOUGH Act,” local leaders are tasked with developing original ideas to address poverty in their local communities. Next, towns chosen by the state would get a combination of public and private funding. The ENOUGH Act includes a $15 million allocation from the governor in this year’s budget.
The governor claims that his office is already in the midst of hiring local leaders.
The ENOUGH Act’s basic tenet is that community leaders will supply the vision. The assistance will come from the state. In addition, We think that those who are closest to the issues are also closest to the answers. Moore stated, “All we have to do is make sure they’re seated at the table.”
WMAR-2 News inquired: According to the measure, part of the cash would be used to identify the causes of poverty. Does determining the root causes of poverty require financial investment? What information do you want to know that we don’t already know?
Moore retorted, “A great deal of information will be ascertained once we carry on collaborating with communities who are carrying out the work on the ground. […] This, in my opinion, is going to be more about learning from our community members than it is about allocating resources.”
Questioning Governor Moore on financing for the “ENOUGH Act”
Following the governor’s announcement, we had a conversation with a few of those community members. There was skepticism about his plan. However, everyone we spoke with—both on and off camera—agreed that change is necessary.
“Anybody can make all these promises, but we need someone to follow through and show that the work is being done.” It’s a whole other tale,” Brooklyn resident David McCrey remarked.
Sita, who did not want to reveal her last name, claims that the differences between the two neighborhoods are “like night and day.” She lives a few blocks away from Brooklyn but visits it frequently.
I’m sick of seeing drug sellers and people who get robbed because they don’t have enough money to buy necessities while I stroll up and down the street. There’s a lot going on down here, after all. She remarked, “I’d like to see a major transformation.
To become legislation, the ENOUGH Act must still pass both chambers. It is presently being considered by the Senate.
