Good morning, all.

I guess it’s all in how you look at it.

For the purpose of our discussions, this community views poverty as a number (poverty rate), a magical line we hope to drag as many of our fellow citizens above in order to give them a fighting chance. It’s a noble goal based on a fairly meaningless digit for an area already strapped with underemployment and wage retardation. Just getting folks to the line would be nice, but it only guarantees them additional company among our community’s almost-poor masses.