Number of poor kids soars

DENVER - The number of Colorado children living in poverty has risen 73 percent since 2000 - the largest such increase in the U.S., according to a report released Tuesday.

Although the greatest increases were reported in and around Denver, the report shows another 4,000 El Paso County kids were living in poverty.

No one cause is identified as the reason 76,000 additional kids statewide were living under the federal poverty level - $21,200 annual earnings for a family of four - from 2000 to 2006.

An increasing number of single-parent households, a growing number of high school dropouts and a decrease in jobs for less-educated workers were cited by Megan Ferland, director of the Colorado Children's Campaign, which wrote the report.

Neither Gov. Bill Ritter nor nonprofit leaders identified a solution to improve the lives of poor families, but said growing government programs that aid families and early childhood education will help.

Several officials noted this year's expansion of state-run children's health care and additional funding of preschool and full-day kindergarten programs is a step in the right direction.

Officials all agreed the report should serve as a wake-up call. The more children are impoverished, the more likely they are to drop out of school, get pregnant as teens and end up in jail, said Alex Medler, Colorado Children's Campaign vice president of research and analysis.

"Trends like this don't just stop and turn around on their own," Medler said. "And if we continue on this trend, Colorado won't be a nice place to live, no matter what your family makes. So, I think everybody ought to be concerned."

Although Colorado saw the biggest increase in child poverty in the country, it ranks somewhere in the middle of states in terms of overall percentage of kids in poverty. The state also has the highest percentage in the country of poor children who are uninsured: 37 percent, Ferland reported.

The great majority of the increase in poverty was centered in three counties: Denver and its eastern neighbors, Adams and Arapahoe. El Paso County recorded a jump of about 4,000 impoverished kids, but Fremont County saw an increase of only 33 poor children from 2000 to 2005, and Teller County reduced its poverty numbers.

Rep. Mike Merrifield, D-Colorado Springs, said the report offers more evidence Colorado needs to reform a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights that limits the amount of new revenue that governments can keep and put toward needed services each year.

Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, urged caution on any legislation, saying state leaders must understand why the number of impoverished children is increasing so much around Denver but far less in the rest of the state.

CONTACT THE WRITER: (303) 837-0613 or ed.sealover@gazette.com

THE DETAILS

Here are the states with the biggest increases and decreases in child poverty from 2000-06:

Increases

1) Colorado
2) New Hampshire
3) Delaware
4) Maine
5) Nebraska

Decreases

1) Maryland
2) Wyoming
3) North Carolina
4) Massachusetts
5) Hawaii

COLORADO CHILDREN'S CAMPAIGN