Authorizing the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services to hold hearings on the findings and recommendations of the Working Poor Families Project in the recent report entitled "Working Hard Still Falling Short- America's Working Families and the Pursuit of Economic Security" and further authorizing the Committee to seek advice and recommendations on how Philadelphia can help to restore the promise of the American dream for all of its citizens.

WHEREAS,

The Working Poor Families Project recently released a report entitled “

Working Hard Still Falling Short-America’s Working Families and the Pursuit of Economic Security”

which analyzed the U.S. census Bureau data and found that conditions have worsened as the number of low-income working families with children increased by more than 350,000 .

WHEREAS,

The report defines a low-income working family as one earning less than twice the Census Bureau’s definition of poverty, or a family of four is earning $41,228 a year or less.

WHEREAS,

Twenty four million jobs in the United States, almost one fifth of the total number of jobs can not keep a family of four above the poverty level.

WHEREAS,

America’s low-income working families typically include men and woman who work as cashiers, custodians, child care workers, health care aids and security guards- workers who constitute the back bone of our increasing serviced based economy.

WHEREAS,

One out of four working families with children-a total of 9.2 million working families are low-income, earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty income level. More than 21 million children live in low income working families.

WHEREAS,

These families work hard, pay taxes and strive to obtain a brighter economic future for their children, they often lack the earnings necessary to meet their basic needs especially in light of soaring prices for food, gas, healthcare and education.

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,

That the City Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services is to hold hearings on the findings and recommendations of the Working Poor Families Project and further authorizing the Committee to seek advice and recommendations on how Philadelphia can help to restore the promise of the American dream for all of its citizens.

End