Alleviating Poverty through Urban Transformation - Article Example

Newark’s mission is to set a national standard for urban transformation by marshaling its resources to achieve security, economic abundance, and an environment that is nurturing and empowering for individuals and families” (City of Newark: About Mayor Booker, n.d., par. 2)

When Smith asked what he thinks is the major societal problem the state is currently facing today, Mayor Booker quickly averred: “The root cause of all problems is poverty and this should be the main focus of all development programs.” Smith immediately quipped: “Sir, you have mentioned that poverty is the major problem of the community, how do you define poverty, and what specific measuring tool helped you gauge the level of poverty within your jurisdiction?”  Mayor Booker, reflecting on the inquiry, answered, “I had read a book during my theoretical interest and evaluation of community problems. That book written by Goldsmith, entitled Separate Societies enlightened my awareness of the H’s in categorizing poverty: health, hunger, and homelessness. I also reviewed surveys that revealed alarming increases in the number of people who lacked health insurance, families who have not had enough food for sustenance, and incidents of homelessness related to rural-urban migration. With that alarming statistics, poverty is extremely identified as socially entrenched; and as a mayor, I must act on it proactively and aggressively.”

            Smith, greatly satisfied with the response, needed to qualify: “How does rural-urban migration contribute to poverty and how would you deal with that?” Mayor Booker was quick off the remark: “A lot of people believe that life will get better if they go to the urban areas. They believe that there are vast opportunities for increasing livelihood in urban areas. But contrary to what they had expected, they suffered from unemployment, homelessness, and worst, poverty. With these beliefs, the population in the urban areas dramatically increases, as well as the poverty line. I encourage these people to privatize their properties such as to encourage them to own rights of market stalls, operate units of taxis, or exercise their innovative talents for small entrepreneurial ventures.”

            The response somewhat took Smith off guard and needed some qualifying remarks regarding privatization as a solution to poverty and thereby queried, “Sir, what if these people don’t have any properties to rent or to start as a business, would the government have specific programs for these people?” To which, Mayor Booker’s immediate response was: “Yes, of course! As a matter of fact, these people are the priority of our government. People below the 20% poverty line are given government assistance in terms of alternative sources to enhance standards of living.”Not wanting to break the momentum, Smith interjected: “And what about the homeless persons? What support do they get from the government?” “As I’ve said earlier, people below the 20% poverty line are given the government’s assistance. Usually, these people are also homeless people. Aside from economic assistance, they are also accorded privileges for house relocation in a government-owned residential area or may be sent back to their rural areas if they wish so,” was Mayor Booker’s contention. He immediately added: “As a public servant, we must think first of the people before the government. After all, without them, I wouldn’t be possibly here as mayor and a public servant, so I should return the favor and serve them rightfully and justly. There is an eminent need to alleviate poverty through urban transformation and support from various sectors of the economy. You and I can do our parts in this plight.” A remarkable end to Smith’s interview, as Mayor Booker excused himself for an important engagement with his constituents from Democrats for Education Reform to discuss, what he declared as possible solutions to improve access to financial assistance to deserving students. What more can anyone ask for?