New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli recently released the first in a series of reports on poverty in New York. The first major takeaway is this: Poverty in the state surpasses the national average, and it’s especially high in 17 counties and in the state’s largest cities. 

It’s also high among certain groups, including children. 

But according to Kate Breslin, president and CEO of the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, letting children live and grow up in poverty is a policy choice. 

“We’ve long known that child poverty in New York exceeds the rate in more than 30 other states,” Breslin told Capital Tonight. “I think that surprises people, because New York likes to think of itself as a leader.”

Stunningly, nearly 20% of the state’s children live in poverty. In a family of four, that means they are living below $27,000 a year. 

But Breslin and other child advocates are hopeful in light of the commitment the state has made to ending child poverty and racial inequity via the recently passed Child Poverty Reduction Act.

“It commits the state to cutting child poverty in half over the next 10 years,” Breslin said. “We are really looking at this year as the first year where our governor and our legislators can start to really work on that.”

The act passed with almost unanimous support from both sides of the aisle. 

Breslin, along with a group of activists, sent a letter on Dec. 16 to Gov. Kathy Hochul asking her to include certain recommendations in this year’s state budget. Among the requests: an expansion of the child tax credit.

“Here’s what we know. Government action can swiftly and effectively cut child poverty. We saw it happen with the expanded child tax credit and the stimulus payment during the COVID 19 pandemic,” Breslin said. “So a few of us have joined together and have made a request that the governor begin to implement policies that have shown evidence of effectiveness.”

Other recommendations include making child care affordable, as well as assistance with both health coverage and housing.  

The next meeting of the Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council, which was created as part of the New York Child Poverty Reduction Act, is on Jan. 12.