Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne says equitable funding for public schools and increasing employment opportunities are critical in the effort to reduce poverty in the North Country.

"We have seen changes in the economy over the past two or three decades that have been particularly challenging for rural areas. That has led to even more economic stress in our region," said the assemblywoman, who represents the Assembly’s “River District,” the 116th, which includes all St. Lawrence County towns along the St. Lawrence River (Massena, Ogdensburg, Louisville, Waddington, Lisbon, Oswegatchie, Morristown, and Hammond) plus the towns of Canton, Potsdam, Rossie, Macomb, and DePeyster, along with part of Jefferson County.

The assemblywoman pointed out St. Lawrence County has long had one of the top five highest poverty rates in the state, and the Jefferson County poverty rates are only slightly better.

The latest report on poverty from the New York State Community Action Association said 20.3 percent of the individuals in St. Lawrence County.

Those poverty rates climb to 30.3 percent in St. Lawrence County for children under the age of 18. Jenne said the challenge of poverty is greatest for female heads of households with children present, where the rates of poverty are 44 percent in St. Lawrence County.

Jenne's comments came on the anniversary of the day more than 50 years ago that President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a War on Poverty to highlight poverty as a national crisis and human rights issue.

Jenne says she will continue to fight to grow the North Country economy in an effort to provide the region's most disadvantaged families with an opportunity to climb out of poverty and give the working men and women in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties an opportunity to earn a living wage with benefits that protect their families.

The Johnson administration's far-reaching initiatives ranged from Head Start to Medicare and Medicaid to help Americans get on their feet and provide for their families, as well as programs to reduce unemployment and ensure equal access to a good education.

Assemblywoman Jenne said positive strides have been made over the past half century, but she said far too many people in the North Country are still struggling.

She said while some parts of the state have seen improved economic conditions more than 20,000 residents in the assembly's River District still live in poverty.

"We need to continue our work to end poverty and provide families struggling to simply afford the basic necessities of life with hope for better opportunities. We need to continue to offer a helping hand to provide those families with the assistance they need so they can climb out of their current economic struggles," she said.

Jenne, previously known as Assemblywoman Russell, said the Assembly Majority has long led the fight for better wages, increased economic opportunities and a strong safety net.

The Assembly voted last year to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and make New York’s tax code more progressive to provide real relief to those who need it the most, according to the assemblywoman.

"It's also further proof of the need for the state to live up to its obligation with proper funding for our schools in districts struggling from low wealth factors," she said.

"We know that approximately half of our public school students in the North Country - 53 percent in St. Lawrence County and 47 percent in Jefferson County - are eligible for free and reduced lunches.

"We know the best way to break the cycle of poverty is to provide all of our students with a quality education and the funding so schools can provide the resources necessary to impact students that struggle the most to see there is hope to better their lives," Jenne said.

"For generations, North Country residents used ingenuity and a strong work ethic to till our fields and find economic promise in our woods. We have to provide opportunities so those seeking to climb out of poverty can see important values like a strong work ethic, a willingness and desire to obtain job training skills and responsibility pay off. Workers with those attributes will also benefit our region's economic development efforts," she added.