Community, faith groups want Becker to tackle poverty issues

Becker was out of town and unavailable for comment Wednesday, but spokeswoman Karen Hale said the mayor-elect is aware of the letter.

"He's looking forward to meeting together (with the letter's authors) to discuss what role the city can plan in helping to address (poverty issues)," Hale said.

Becker addressed the four specific issues — and many others — during his campaign, making several promises along the way for addressing poverty. Among those campaign vows was creation of a task force to explore solutions to the city's poverty problems.

Though not completely sold on the idea of a task force, Tibbitts wonders why Becker didn't include it in his 180-day plan.

"The mayor-elect has done a great job setting priorities in other areas," Tibbitts said. "Our hope is that if we let him know the community also has expectations in the area of poverty, he'll live up to those."

One in five Salt Lake City residents lives under the federal poverty line, which is nearly twice the rate of Utah as a whole, he said.

With that level of poverty in Salt Lake City, an ongoing commitment to addressing the problem is needed, Tibbitts said. A task force "isn't a bad idea," he said, "but it isn't enough."

"It's probably time to think about setting up a board or commission to look at poverty issues and actually staff it with someone who's responsible for implementing the ideas that work their way through that board," Tibbitts said.

Joining Bailey and Tibbitts to write the letter were Jerry Costley, executive director, Disabled Rights Action Committee; Mack D. Gift, executive director, The Mental Health Association of Utah; the Rev. Michael Imperiale, pastor, First Presbyterian Church; the Rev. Steve Klemz, pastor, Zion Lutheran Church; Gina Cornia, executive director, Utahns Against Hunger; Joyce Delcourt, vice chairwoman, Legislative Coalition for People With Disabilities; Linda Hilton, director, Coalition of Religious Communities; Cathy Hoskins, executive director, Salt Lake Community Action Program; and Dee Rowland, director, Peace & Justice Commission, Utah Catholic Diocese.

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