Paying the Poor to Change
SEPTEMBER 29, 2007 Listen to this Story
- Library Card
Do some people need to be paid in order to do things that would help their lives anyway? That's the question being asked in poor neighborhoods across New York City right now. Mayor Michael Bloomberg kicked off a privately-funded project called Opportunity NYC that will offer cash incentives to poor New Yorkers to do things like get a library card, go to the dentist and stay in school. Not surprisingly, there are a number of skeptics. One was East New York resident Christine Chemelis, who is part of the program. But Chemelis said she's changing her mind about the project. We'll ask her why she thinks it can work.
Special Web Audio
Ruth Levine discusses what she thinks the outcome will be with the New York cash incentive program Opportunity NYC (1:37).
Levine explains why the money is only given to mothers. (0:44).
Levine describes how cash incentive programs give clues to human nature. (1:12).
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- Music Bridge:
- Jeden Tag
- Artist: Hausmeister
- CD: Water-Wasser (Plop)
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