Local opinion: Tucson, Pima County work to break cycle of generational poverty

Every generation wants a better life for the next. But what if our economic, legislative and social systems

are creating barriers to the education, healthcare, housing and jobs necessary for future generations to prosper? This lack of economic mobility is a root cause of systemic generational poverty in Pima County, according to its Prosperity Initiative report.

The Prosperity Initiative is a regional partnership to reduce generational poverty in Pima County and the City of Tucson. It lays out a series of 13 policies and three cross-policy strategies to guide county and city decisions on housing, health, education and workforce development.

The following are perspectives from those in government, community and business organizations that are working together to further Prosperity Initiative policies.

According to Bonnie Bazata, senior aide to the Pima County Board of Supervisors, “If we can remove the barriers to homeownership, healthcare, education and income, we would have a much more prosperous community.” Pima County funding for food assistance, preschool education, affordable housing and eviction prevention, and access to high-speed broadband services are just some of the programs providing greater opportunities for low-income, rural and economically underserved communities.

As one of the largest employers in Southern Arizona, Pima County is putting Prosperity Initiative policies into action for its employees via a low-cost personal loan program, pay increases, lower health insurance costs, childcare, and student loan and tuition reimbursement programs. “According to the Prosperity Initiative policies, organizations and businesses with employees have a direct role in helping to support low-income families’ economic well-being,” said Helen Schaffer, implementation lead for Pima County’s Prosperity Initiative.

The City of Tucson is well into implementing its Prosperity Initiative Action Plan. According to Elizabeth Morales, assistant city manager, City of Tucson, “Our goal is to expand economic and community mobility for all our citizens. We’re creating clearer pathways from education to employment, incentivizing equitable economic development, coordinating workforce and support services, and enabling small and local businesses as engines of mobility.”

The Community Coalition for Prosperity (CC4P) is a nonprofit community organization dedicated to growing prosperity in alignment with the Prosperity Initiative. CC4P facilitates community engagement and advocacy with a coalition of diverse stakeholders to promote systemic change to reduce generational poverty and increase economic mobility. CC4P members include representatives from philanthropy, nonprofits, higher education, business, content experts and people with lived experience in poverty. “By aligning organizations, policies and investments around a common framework, CC4P helps move the community from isolated interventions to coordinated, systemic solutions that support long-term economic mobility,” said Jennie Grabel, project director, CC4P.

Together, Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and its community partners provide customers with energy education, do-it-yourself (DIY) weatherization kits, and access to financial assistance programs such as Power AZ. According to Lisa Horuczi Markus, manager of customer experience and advocacy at TEP, “We work hand-in-hand with trusted community organizations, helping us better understand our customers’ needs, connect them with resources, and identify opportunities to improve affordability and energy resilience.”

The Prosperity Initiative lays out policies for systems change that can break the vicious cycle of generational poverty in our communities. By actively participating in Prosperity Initiative forums and working groups, together we can help lift more people out of poverty and move them toward prosperity.