Sunday, August 27, 2006

As the September primaries approach, I'd like to remind the women of the Washington area of something: We're in charge.

Or at least we should be, given our numbers. There are simply more of us here than there are men. And, just as important, women in this area consistently vote in larger numbers than men.

Nobody would assume that women will, or should, vote as a bloc; many factors divide us. But some issues are important to women of all political leanings. At the top of the list are those that bear on the lives of mothers struggling to support their children.

Our area's most vulnerable families are led by women. Nearly 40 percent of District families headed by mothers live in poverty. In Alexandria, that number is nearly 25 percent. About 30,000 other women head families with slightly higher incomes, but they still make only $15,000 to $35,000 a year.

How do these moms get by? Almost all have jobs, typically as secretaries, receptionists or sales clerks. Many care for adults or children. These women are more than willing to work hard, but they earn too much to be categorized as living "in poverty," yet too little to comfortably support themselves. And one stroke of bad luck -- a broken-down car, a sick child, a flooded basement -- can send them reeling.

It's time we had meaningful discussions about these struggling families with those running for office. Let's ask them about extending affordable health care and making high-quality child care available to working families. What will they do to improve public schools?

Elected leaders should be talking about creating new opportunities in the workforce. If government and the private sector, including nonprofit groups, work together, we can develop training programs to meet the needs of workers and employers. We can also take steps to help more working parents go back to school, get a GED or a college degree, and prepare themselves to advance in the workplace.

Linda Butler, a single mother who was working as a waitress in Virginia, entered the four-month Training Futures program at Northern Virginia Family Service in 2000. Today, Butler works for a small due-diligence firm, and her income has nearly quadrupled, to $50,000. "I don't worry about bills anymore, and for the first time I feel as if I am in control of my life," she said.

We can help others achieve similar things. But it will take the commitment of elected officials who understand the importance of assisting low-income working families and the women who head them.

As the primaries draw closer, I urge all women to listen to what the candidates are saying about these critical issues. Are they committed to smart investments that help low-income working women make it on their own? Vote with that question in mind. And show everyone who really is in charge around here.

-- Anne B. Mosle

Washington

The writer is president of the Washington Area Women's Foundation.