Lt. Gov. Delgado gives keynote speech at poverty symposium

New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado gave the keynote speech at Wednesday's poverty symposium produced by Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency, an anti-poverty organization that serves Oneida, Herkimer and parts of Madison County.

Delgado spoke of growing up in Schenectady with both parents working for General Electric. Their jobs allowed them to put money aside, clipping coupons and patching holes in old clothes until the family was able to purchase their own home.

“It pains me on a personal level to know that the story of upward mobility that I lived – I lived! – is not the story of upward mobility for far too many of our young people today,” Delgado said.

The symposium was the first such event that MVCAA was able to put on since before the coronavirus pandemic. MVCAA program development director Maureen Murphy said she was excited to return and for Delgado to speak.

“A lot of times there's only so much that we can do without going to the next level,” Murphy said. “So it's great that the state is coming down and that they’re going to be a part of that whole conversation.”

Delgado’s speech addressed the causes of increased poverty in recent years, citing a New York Times report that found that the nationwide poverty rate increased from 7.8% in 2021 to 12.4% percent in 2022. The report said that while expanded pandemic-era safety net programs led to a decrease in poverty in the prior two years, the expiration of those programs combined with inflation has returned poverty rates to roughly pre-pandemic levels.

Delgado said that the concentration of wealth among the top 1% of earners contributes to income inequality and persistent poverty across the nation.

“Greed has long been normalized, and with it, poverty persists, even after the lessons learned in a once-in-a-generation pandemic,” Delgado said. “If you really meditate on that, it speaks to the psychology of where we are right now as a country and the culture of greed and materialism and consumerism that is principally holding us back when it comes to actually making sure that everybody has equal opportunity, no matter where they begin in life.”

Public investments

Delgado emphasized the need to invest in public goods, naming everything from education to clean water to collective bargaining rights. Although he acknowledged that the state government has more work to do, he relayed the work his and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration has accomplished to improve accessibility to life’s necessities.

Childcare, affordable housing, workforce development and broadband access were among the issues Delgado mentioned. He said that New York State earmarked $500 million from last year’s budget for a childcare workforce retention grant program, where existing childcare workers can receive bonuses and new workers can receive sign-on bonuses.

Delgado said that he and Hochul are acutely aware of the current affordable housing crisis in the state.

“We know how important it is for folks to be able to locate themselves, especially when they're trying to work their way up and out of poverty,” Delgado said. “If you don't have a place to anchor yourself, it's very hard to go out and look for work, look for a job, and create routines and predictability for your family.”

To that end, Hochul announced executive actions to increase the housing supply, including prioritizing $650 million in discretionary funding for public housing communities and identifying state-owned sites for potential housing. Additionally, $400 million of the state’s budget is allocated towards helping low-income homeowners weatherize their dwellings and access the state’s energy affordability program.

The state is partnering with universities, school districts and community colleges to help prepare young people for the workforce. With funding from the state, educational institutions will be able to develop strategic plans to promote job readiness.

Delgado said that the culture of greed he mentioned has allowed private investment to supersede public, and that the lack of investment in public goods has created stigma for those who need to access social services.

He also said that the bureaucracy and red tape in the application process can make it challenging and confusing, and thus inaccessible, to receive these services.

The state is striving to overcome those bureaucratic barriers. One new resource is the New York Energy Advisor website, which provides a hub for low-income residents to find personalized energy saving programs.

Delgado concluded by bringing his remarks back to a place of his personal experience and values. He said he knew that every person in the room was doing their work from a place of caring and love.

“I want you to know that the same force that is emanating from your work every single day is the same force that is driving me,” Delgado said. “It is the most powerful force the world has ever known. And it is love. I’m not talking about Cupid love. I'm talking about a strong, demanding, principled love that holds every single one of us to account.”

Community response

The audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation at the conclusion of Delgado’s speech. Venice Ervin, who represents the 5th Ward in Utica’s Common Council and works for the Workforce Investment Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties, said that he feels Delgado is on the same page as himself.

“We've been having a lot of conversations locally about poverty, and inclusion, and different things in the area,” Ervin said. “He's right in tune with everything that we've been talking about.”

Although Delgado was not able to stay for a question and answer session after his speech due to his schedule, MCVAA Executive Director Amy Turner invited the audience to share their comments and questions.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Lt. Gov. Delgado delivered speech at poverty symposium