‘School supply’ giveaway won’t find its way to kids
After calling a friend last night, we came up with a better plan to help low-income schoolchildren receive school supplies. Gov. David Paterson must have eaten a big bowl of crazy believing that every check issued will be spent only on school supplies. I believe that about half of the people he issues checks to will spend the entire $200 on their child’s school needs. Our plan: Issue checks only to low-income children that have disabled parents and/or parents that are low-income but working! And the money should be distributed to the schools to ensure purchases! What makes [the governor] think it’s my responsibility to take care of able-bodied, non-working people’s children? My husband and I had two children because that was all we could financially take care of. We did not expect the government to do so. We went without to give our children the things they needed! Gov. Paterson, our state is in a major crisis. You have just added to it. P.S.: Checks will be issued to 3-to 17-year-olds? No 3-year-old I know needs school supplies! And why is a working-age kid getting the $200? My friend’s children that are working age have summer jobs to buy their own school supplies!
NY: Obama's $200 per kid being ABUSED!! Officials looking to STOP the program!
08/13/2009 07:43 PM
Brooks Says Back To School Money Being Abused By: Casey J. Bortnick
It was money intended to help low income families buy school supplies for their children, but some say the funds are being used to buy items not on anyone’s back to school list.
$200 a child: that’s how much the state started handing out to families on public assistance across New York this week under the back to school state welfare program. Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks says the program is being abused and is now calling on the governor to suspend it.
“What’s been reported to our department of human resources and witnessed by our county’s public assistance workers is really sickening at best,” said Brooks.
During a news conference Brooks said the county had turned up evidence the money was being used to buy flat screen TVs, cell phones, gaming systems and other luxury supplies – not back to school items.
Brooks says retailers like Walmart, Wegmans and Tops notified the county of this activity soon after the money was distributed. Brooks says she’s disturbed but not surprised.
“When you hand out $200 per child cash to a family with no strings attached, no requirements for spending it are we really surprised that people are buying flat screen TVs, iPods, Xboxes,” asked Brooks.
Brooks says the program could cost local taxpayers $7 million when it’s all said and done. With 32,000 eligible children in Monroe County, just administering the handout had become a problem.
“The waits are tremendously long and over the past few days we have had physical altercations among clients which is something that’s extraordinarily rare for us,” said Monroe County Human Services Commissioner Kelly Reed. “It really is mayhem.”
The program is being paid for with $140 million in federal stimulus funds and $35 million from billionaire George Soros. Brooks says buying a flat screen TV isn’t her idea of stimulating the economy or creating jobs, but says the county’s hands are pretty much tied since the money comes with no strings attached.
This is typical of a government run/handout program you get fraud in the system just like with welfare, Medicare, and Social Security programs. As many people have said before the government couldn't run a lemonade stand.
Did the government REALLY think that this money would go for kids school supplies? Even the kids would rather have the flat screen tv. OR perhaps they DID know and were actually hoping for the big/electronic purchases to stimulate the economy.
Cause if they REALLY wanted the money to go for school supplies only, they could have proposed a system that would have given the school's the money....or gave out vouchers to be used exclusively at the lowest bidder business establishment.
Nope...just give'm the cash!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I love the fact that welfare recipients are getting $200 for school supplies and the money is being put on their benefi t card. The ages that are eligible for this grant are 3-17. First of all, I think it is wonderful for those people who work hard and qualify for benefits. School supplies can get expensive and all school-aged children deserve to have what they need. But what about those people in the system who will not use the money for what it is intended for? Where is the accountability? Does Gov. Paterson really think this will stimulate the economy? Well, our government needs to wake up. There are working people out there who do not qualify for any type of public assistance, so they won’t get help with their kids’ school supplies. Then there are the people out there who will squander it and the kids will still end up with nothing. And in the long run, those of us who work will ultimately pay for those who don’t; we always do. Another question, what does a 3-year-old need with $200 worth of school supplies? If anyone has an answer to that, please enlighten us.
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