The preamble to Illinois' Constitution states unequivocally that the elimination of "poverty and inequality" must be one of state government's primary objectives. (Indeed, the dictum is couched between promises to "maintain a representative and orderly government" and "assure legal, social, and economic justice.") These days, lawmakers in Springfield aren't doing enough to uphold that promise.

By all measures, poverty is on the rise in the Land of Lincoln. Data released this fall by the U.S. Census Bureau showed that almost 1.7 million residents now live below the federal poverty line, which is a measly $22,050 in pre-tax income for a family of four. In 1999, roughly 1.3 million residents qualified. Over 760,000 people are living in what experts call "extreme poverty," meaning they survive on income less than half the federal poverty limit, or just $11,025 a year for a family of four. (By way of comparison, a market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Illinois costs $10,716 annually.) Of this population, half are seniors, people with disabilities, or children who cannot or should not work. Startlingly, 7.8 percent of all children in the state fall under this classification.

The problem could get worse before it gets better. The state's median household income is on a steady decline. Over 2 million Illinoisans are already "low-income," a designation for families that earn less than double the federal poverty line. A lost job, medical emergency, or hefty tuition payment could tip any of those folks over the edge.

While poverty is an issue most of us prefer to ignore, poverty experts in Illinois are working diligently to bolster the state's safety net and protect their fellow citizens from the threat of destitution. This morning, the Illinois Commission on the Elimination of Poverty released a state-mandated poverty elimination strategy paper titled "Building a Pathway to Dignity and Hope." The commission, created with the assistance of the Heartland Alliance during the 2008 legislative session, wants to half the state's extreme poverty rate by 2015. To reach that goal, lawmakers and state administrators will need to roll up their sleeves in the next four years. "Our support system," the authors write, "is failing those who need it most."

The paper lays out 42 substantive policy recommendations that tackle issues as diverse as nutrition, health care, housing, work, transportation, and education. The intention, Grace Hou from the Illinois Department of Human Services says, is to find creative ways for people of all backgrounds to "have their basic needs met and their dignity affirmed." Cognizant of the state's budgetary restrictions, the researchers also focused on developing solutions that will not drain the General Revenue Fund next fiscal year; experts actually advise lawmakers to phase in the changes in three distinct stages, the first of which would begin this winter.

Right off the bat, the commission suggests that the state triple its Earned Income Tax Credit, which a family of four making about $42,000 a year or less can obtain. (Illinois' EITC is the second lowest in the nation.) There's a heavy emphasis on making it easy for people to access anti-poverty initiatives for which they already qualify, like Medicaid, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program. This would be done by boosting outreach and simplifying application processes. (Unlike 34 other states, for example, Illinois does not run a SOAR Initiative, which helps the homeless access Social Security and disability payments.) The paper also advocates additional investments in early childhood education and increased enforcement of existing labor laws.

After year one, the platform broadens. The working group was particularly enthusiastic about the potential for a permanent statewide transitional jobs program, similar to Put Illinois To Work, that would help 40,000 individuals who face barriers to employment gain experience in the labor market. Low-income students, they argue, should have more access to comprehensive community college scholarships that combine financial aid with tutoring and academic advising assistance. And lawmakers should dig up more resources to boost the state's rental housing stock and increase the minimum wage.

(The full list of recommendations begins on page 27 here.)

State lawmakers leading the charge on this issue, State Rep. Karen Yarborough (D-Chicago) and State Sen. Michael Frerichs (D-Champaign), were thrilled with the results. Watch a portion of their remarks below:

The hard work will begin in January, when officials return to Springfield for the 97th General Assembly. Unlike major industries, the desperately poor don't have resources to hire lobbyists and influence policy from the inside. It will be up to regular people to remind their elected officials about those crucial sentences that begin the state constitution.

"I hope this paper will create a sense of true moral outrage," says Maria Whelan, president of Illinois Action for Children. Extreme poverty demands nothing less.