Utica-Rome area has higher poverty rate than national average

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Utica-Rome area has higher poverty rate than national average

WKTV News

UTICA/ROME (WKTV) - The Utica-Rome area has a higher poverty rate than the national average according to the US Census Bureau.  That may sound discouraging, but local organizations are working to reduce the number of people living in poverty.

Ed Harvey has lived on Utica's west side for his entire life.  He says he's seen the area fall into a downward spiral because of poverty.  "Everywhere you look, there's homeless people sitting on the curb, sitting on stoops," Harvey said.  "Nobody cares about these people."

It is not just West Utica.  Throughout the Utica-Rome area more than 38,000 people are living below the poverty line.  That's almost 14% of our population.  In real dollars, that means a family of four is making $21,000 a year collectively.
 
Diane DiMeo of Catholic Charities says there are many faces of poverty.  "It's not just an urban situation, it's also a rural," DiMeo said.  "Many times it's people who are working, maybe multiple jobs. Oftentimes its single parents and then on the other end of the spectrum, we do see an increasing need by senior citizens."

That's why Catholic Charities nationwide has launched a campaign to slash the poverty rate in half by 2020.  There are plans in place to meet both short-term needs and to provide long-term assistance with things like literacy.

But Ed Harvey says that's just not enough.  "I still live in the ghetto," Harvey said.  "The west side is turning into the ghetto, and there's nothing for us anywhere."

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Friday, Aug 29 at 12:41 PM Yes wrote ...

Yes another thing we can be proud of in "Central NY" thank God we have the mountains close by!

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Friday, Aug 29 at 10:52 AM To: Stampie From Mom of 2 wrote ...

NOOOOO, I am not on welfare, I do not get any help, I support my 2 boys on my own, just know how to budget.

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Friday, Aug 29 at 10:05 AM Marty McMick wrote ...

At least these hard(ly) working people are taken care of by our hand out goverment! God Bless America and and the trash we let in or cultavate!

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Thursday, Aug 28 at 11:10 PM move!!!! we did!!! wrote ...

so disgusted with ny, we went to tn ! tn is a great state , property taxes very low, no state income tax, some counties cars dont even have to be inspected, nice weather, people are happy?? yes happy and also polite, there are other states out there , our electric at the most is 200 a month , and thats with central air and or heat all day every day, like a motel room, can you imagine buying a 116,000 house and only paying 300 a year in property taxes , wow!!! well , thats what my sister did

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Thursday, Aug 28 at 10:27 AM Nell Carter wrote ...

4 kids with 3 deadbeat dads...your really helping the area

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Thursday, Aug 28 at 9:46 AM Stop The Madness wrote ...

How dare you people write these things! Shame on you! Well I do hope the goverment just LOCKS UP ALL OUR BORDERS ASAP!! And quit with the third world handouts!!!

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Thursday, Aug 28 at 9:24 AM Fed up with employers wrote ...

Don't forget employers. They all cry that they are losing money, when in fact, the loss is due to decisions made by CEO's. They make millions, get bonuses, while the workers get raises reduced, and their benefits taken away, or have to pay more of the costs. So, prices go up, but not our pays. Let CEO's take a pay cut !

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Thursday, Aug 28 at 12:45 AM jettafive wrote ...

HOW COME YOU DID NOT POST MY COMMENT??? DOES THE TRUTH HURT, PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO READ IT

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 11:07 PM Heywood Jablome....... wrote ...

I agree

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 3:16 PM Had it wrote ...

Well for all the people I got mad for me posting my comment about all the third world people coming here, I just thought I should tell you that I'm not even from the Utica/Rome area.....Thank goodness where I come from we don't have many of them : )

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 3:14 PM Stampie wrote ...

To: Mom of 2, YOU ARE ON WELFARE, THEREFORE YOU HAVE NO SAYING IN THIS

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 3:05 PM Whateverisatool wrote ...

Yes all the hard working fence jumpers come to Utica and take pride in all their handouts! I could care less what their country looks like, move to Russia or China but not here!

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 3:00 PM SINGLE MOM OF 4 wrote ...

AND JUST TO CONTINUE- I HAD MY TUBES TIED SO I CAN NO LONGER HAVE ANYMORE CHILDREN. AND I DON'T LIVE IN UTICA- I WILL NOT LIVE THEIR AND SUBJECT MY KIDS TO THAT ENVIRONMENT. PRETTY SAD FROM SOMEONE WHO IS BORN AND RAISED IN UTICA- BUT REFUSES TO LIVE THERE ANYMORE. THATS HOW BAD IT HAS GOTTEN.

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 2:57 PM SINGLE MOM OF 4 wrote ...

I WAS BORN HERE AND I WORK A FULL TIME JOB. I STILL HAVE TROUBLE PAYING THE BILLS AND I DON'T GET HELP TO PAY MY RENT. I DO GET FOOD STAMPS- BUT ONLY $100 A MONTH. THE FATHERS OF MY CHILDREN (NON OF WHOM WERE BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK) DO NOT PAY SUPPORT AND THE COURTS DO NOTHING TO THESE GUYS. AND THEY ARE ONLY SUPPOSED TO PAY ME $50 A MONTH EACH! THAT WOULD BE AN EXTRA $150 A MONTH! AND I PAY TAXES TOO. SO HOW AM I BURDEN? I AM NOT A LAZY PERSON WHO REFUSES TO WORK LIKE OTHERS ON THE WELFARE SYSTEM.

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 2:41 PM me wrote ...

do what i did just move to albany. there are so many jobs here

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 1:14 PM whatever wrote ...

I love how everyone blames the "immigrants" sorry to tell you that your ancenstors were immigrants at one time too! And if you were in the situations they were in back their home country, wouldn't you get out too? At least the "immigrants" take pride in our city and don't complain about everything. They work hard and are appreciative of what Utica has to offer them. Show some respect for others.

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 12:21 PM No kidding wrote ...

It's called no jobs.They can't even pay companies to come here.But New York City is doing well. How can that be? All you have to do is look East. The State budget went up, what, 2-3 billion this year? Our poor reps had to return from a hard earned vacation and cut less than 1/2 billion. They even cut 50 million from pork. Wait, that was only 6%. That means pork spending is over 800 million!! That's twice as much as they cut!! Wake up people, vote them ALL out!

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 11:37 AM Stampie wrote ...

Solution to all this, move, its plain and simple, U.S. is a big country, with lots of other places to live, don't just sit there and complain, do something about it. You can't change that imigrants are coming, that is the fact, but you can do something about your life, so 'MOVE OUT OF THE AREA' and live a better quality live.....

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 11:32 AM Hmmm... wrote ...

This is news? Must be a slow day in the newsroom for this garbage to make the website. With the lack of high paying jobs in the area, is there honestly anyone out there who is surprised by this? Stop counting on retailers for jobs and instead bring in some REAL businesses that pay REAL wages. Sorry, but I don't think that the young folks going to UC/MVCC/SUNY are looking forward to their fine career at Walmart...as they leave, and the rest of us age, what else would you expect?

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 10:12 AM whatever wrote ...

I am sick of people complaining, go over to a 3rd world country & really see how they live & what it is like to be "poor." Then people will open their eyes & see that there are PLENTY of other people who are worst off than them. Americans are just spoiled & don't know what it is like to truely struggle. People need to open thier eyes & realize that there is MUCH more to life than $$ & luxury.

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 8:23 AM Had It! wrote ...

But keep bringing all the people from third world countries here to live so they have a better life!

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 8:22 AM GRAMMA wrote ...

I agree with the previous writers 100,000%. There is no shame attached to having children out of wedlock anymore--it's an accepted situation. So they have no inducement to change their ways or even try to protect themselves from pregnancy or impregnating the girl. Then it becomes a never-ending cycle of illiterate, uneducated, welfare drawing mothers of several kids, raising more of the same and the father sitting in jail or prison somewhere-so the innocent taxpayer supports them ALL!!!!!

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 8:15 AM Duhhhhhh! wrote ...

Gee thats news? The bigest employers hire imigrants,Utica is a dump, the local goverments are a JOKE!And yes we have some of the highest taxes,largest welfare population and if your not a overpaid state employee you are working at least 2 jobs to make it! At least the crack is cheap!

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 7:58 AM Wow wrote ...

really? What did it take to figure this one out?

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 7:15 AM How true b.s. wrote ...

Utica is in a shambles and it is so disturbing when you drive through areas that were once beautiful now a disgrace. Make young girls who have babies and not return to school, not live on welfare, but put them in some type of program. If the're going to live off our money, they should have a way to better themselves, and the fathers of these babies, the same thing. They are running the streets acting like they'r men, when in reality they are still kids themselves.

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Wednesday, Aug 27 at 12:46 AM b.s. wrote ...

utica looks like a third world country, just drive around the city.boarded up homes,people not working,drugs and crime.it's really sad how much this area has declined and nobody cares.

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Tuesday, Aug 26 at 11:25 PM jettafive wrote ...

UTICA IS A JOKE,MR. HARVEY SAID THE GHETTO, WELL HE HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD. LAST ONE OUT TURN THE LIGHTS OFF. OUR OFFICIAL NEED TO DRIVE AROUND THIS CITY DURING THE DAY WHEN PEOPLE SHOULD BE WORKING AND LOOK AROUND THATS ALL YOU SEE ARE OUR YOUNGER GENERATION HANGIN OUT WITH THERE KIDS. HELLO UTICA WAKE UP TIME, ONEIDA COUNTY, ITS TIME TO GET RID OF WELFARE. THEN YOU WILL SAVE THE TAX PAYERS BIG DOLLARS

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Tuesday, Aug 26 at 10:35 PM Mom of 2 wrote ...

There's a high poverty level because half is welfare and the other half is illegals

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Tuesday, Aug 26 at 9:15 PM disgusted wrote ...

The way to stop this is stop the younger girls haveing baby after and baby no father to help.And the one sitting home live better then the ones work.So why dont you help them get job. oh I forgot they can make them work.

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Tuesday, Aug 26 at 7:50 PM Nana wrote ...

Where is the money coming from to support these programs to help the people living on or below the proverty level? Utica has an aging population and there are only a minimum of jobs paying over $45,000 a year. Our taxes are high enough now without raising them even higher to support these type of programs.

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