Villaraigosa Heads Task Force To Address National Poverty Issues

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) on Wednesday convened a national task force on poverty and told mayors from around the country that low-income workers are "losing ground to the escalating costs of energy, tuition, medical care and childcare," the Los Angeles Times reports (McGreevy, Los Angeles Times, 1/26).

The task force will examine a number of issues related to poverty, such as whether federal definitions of poverty are realistic or unfairly restricting some families' access to benefits and health care (Eckert, Copley News/San Diego Union-Tribune, 1/25).

The Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity plans to meet again in March in Los Angeles (Los Angeles Times, 1/26).