Human Resources committee  In Portland they reduced their homelessness by 70%, and they were dealing with the same kinds of people—drug addicts, alcoholics, folks with mental problems, whatever. They discovered that the cost of having a person on the street was over $52,000 a year, when you count arrests and hospitals visits, while welfare is only $24,000 in homes.

Human Resources committee  Thank you.

Human Resources committee  What do I think of putting in...?

Human Resources committee  There's a group called “The Living Wage”, and they have documented how much a family of four, with one parent working 40 hours and the other working 20 hours, would need. Of course, each year, the cost of living goes up or whatever. It should be adjustable. I do agree that, according to the needs of each person, they should have available to them the basic amount to take care of their needs.

Human Resources committee  Thank you. I really am grateful for this opportunity to express my thoughts on reducing poverty. I really appreciate your giving me an opportunity this afternoon. I should have been here this morning, but...things come up. Many have used the term “cycle of poverty”. During the 60 years I have spent working with the poor, I have seen the cycle perpetuate itself from a great-grandmother through the whole line to the great-great-grandchild still living in poverty.