It looks like my colleagues @WhipClyburn and @RonWyden are in backdoor negotiations to systematically destroy my #OpportunityZones initiative. Y'all know me and I'm going to be completely frank here — they're only doing this because it has the support of @realDonaldTrump.
This is the second misguided attempt by Congressional Democrats in the last two weeks to wreck the #OpportunityZone initiative under the guise of ‘improvement.’ Word on the street is that The Squad is coming after the program too in the next few days/weeks...
Some facts about #OpportunityZones for y'all:
✔️ An estimated $63 billion can already be expected to be invested into them
✔️ There are 8,700 Zones with the average poverty rate of 29%
It's easy to lay out numbers, but these are people's LIVES that we're talking about.
✔️ An estimated $63 billion can already be expected to be invested into them
✔️ There are 8,700 Zones with the average poverty rate of 29%
It's easy to lay out numbers, but these are people's LIVES that we're talking about.
.@WhipClyburn & @RonWyden's bill would END:
✔️ Multiple OZ with a child poverty rate >30%
✔️ Multiple OZ with poverty rates >25% (double their statewide avg)
✔️ At least 1 zone with a senior poverty rate >40%
✔️ An OZ where African-Americans are 20% of the community
✔️ Multiple OZ with a child poverty rate >30%
✔️ Multiple OZ with poverty rates >25% (double their statewide avg)
✔️ At least 1 zone with a senior poverty rate >40%
✔️ An OZ where African-Americans are 20% of the community
Let me be even more clear. This is a state-driven initiative. 96% of zones show NO sign of gentrification. The other 4%? Go ask their governors—most of which are led by Democrats, like @RonWyden's. @WhipClyburn and Wyden seem to ignore this fact. Why? Well, it's pretty obvious.
In fact, @WhipClyburn & @RonWyden's will classify 'health centers' as a sin business and exclude them from the initiative. So there's a good chance our community centers and YMCAs are gone. Our after-school programs? Yup, they're gone too. All of our children's safe havens; gone.
This is absolutely egregious, as we should be looking for ways to help improve the health of folks living in #OpportunityZones, where the average life expectancy is 3 years shorter than the natl average and the avg obesity rate is significantly higher than the national average.
I stand ready to improve the #OpportunityZones initiative in a positive way with anyone who wants to work together. None of this backroom dealing is helpful for people, who like me, grew up in single-parent households mired in poverty.
Instead of trying to take down Opportunity Zones because of their distaste for @realDonaldTrump and our successful #taxreform package, I invite Democrats to come to the table and work together on a path forward.
The past 50 years of fighting poverty through government-led programs has been largely ineffective, so let’s make sure the next 50 are powered by efforts that will work. I’ll save you the tweets, but do take a moment and read my full thoughts here: scott.senate.gov/media-center/p…
