galeane29
08-15-2009, 07:33 AM
http://rochesterhomepage.net/content/video/?watch=1&cid=111601
Criticism is intensifying over the state's program that deposited $200 into welfare accounts. The money was supposed to be used by parents to buy school supplies.
Monroe County's Executive has come out swinging, saying it's causing huge problems because county offices are being overwhelmed. Maggie Brooks is also convinced there's fraud. Brooks called the abuse some of the worse she has ever seen. She says it's rampant, and that welfare recipients bought TV's and video games with money that's supposed to be used for school supplies.
"This government spending is nothing short of a classic example of frivolous spending that goes unchecked in Albany," said Brooks.
The state's fatal error, she says, is that there's no way for them to track where the mostly federal money is spent. It's on a debit card, and she says more than a few retailers have called their offices complaining that the money is being spent on flat screen TV's and video games.
"Handing out cash with no strings attached is the absolute wrong way to promote education," said Brooks, who adds the state would've been better off with a voucher system.
One of our area's voices in Washington agrees. Rep. Eric Massa voted for the stimulus package that this money was part of, but he says the state messed up in not installing safeguards to ensure the money was spent on children.
"It's a matter of accountability and ensuring that's what's happening with the funding. You and I both know that where there's crevasses, the water will go through those crevasses," said Massa.
The governor's office staunchly defends the program. A senior Paterson assistant admits there's probably some misuse, but many are using the money for the intended purpose.
"We have as many examples of families using the dollars for school clothes, school uniforms, school supplies," said a representative of Paterson.
Further, the governor's office points out that 70% of the money went to working families.
"The issue is not, "is it money well intended to go to school supplies." Are there families that benefitted from this? Certainly. But there are also people out there who are abusing the system. There were better ways," said Brooks.
The county says they can't prosecute any of this so-called fraud until the governor's office declares their program fraud. That seems highly unlikely, as the governor has continued to defend the program even in the face of mounting criticism.
To be clear, we have interviewed both people who spent the money on the right things, and people who say it wasn't.
I have always had a problem with the 'hand outs'. Did nobody learn from the Katrina incidents? They gave all those people debit cards and many were spending it on booze and electronics.
Give one a fish they eat for a day
Teach one to fish they eat for a lifetime
Hand outs are always a bad idea and history proves what the people will do, come back with their hands held out instead of getting up off of their butts and dusting off their backside and finding a way to make it. I have, many times.
And, who the heck needs $200 for school supplies? I never spent more than $20 on each kid per school year.
Criticism is intensifying over the state's program that deposited $200 into welfare accounts. The money was supposed to be used by parents to buy school supplies.
Monroe County's Executive has come out swinging, saying it's causing huge problems because county offices are being overwhelmed. Maggie Brooks is also convinced there's fraud. Brooks called the abuse some of the worse she has ever seen. She says it's rampant, and that welfare recipients bought TV's and video games with money that's supposed to be used for school supplies.
"This government spending is nothing short of a classic example of frivolous spending that goes unchecked in Albany," said Brooks.
The state's fatal error, she says, is that there's no way for them to track where the mostly federal money is spent. It's on a debit card, and she says more than a few retailers have called their offices complaining that the money is being spent on flat screen TV's and video games.
"Handing out cash with no strings attached is the absolute wrong way to promote education," said Brooks, who adds the state would've been better off with a voucher system.
One of our area's voices in Washington agrees. Rep. Eric Massa voted for the stimulus package that this money was part of, but he says the state messed up in not installing safeguards to ensure the money was spent on children.
"It's a matter of accountability and ensuring that's what's happening with the funding. You and I both know that where there's crevasses, the water will go through those crevasses," said Massa.
The governor's office staunchly defends the program. A senior Paterson assistant admits there's probably some misuse, but many are using the money for the intended purpose.
"We have as many examples of families using the dollars for school clothes, school uniforms, school supplies," said a representative of Paterson.
Further, the governor's office points out that 70% of the money went to working families.
"The issue is not, "is it money well intended to go to school supplies." Are there families that benefitted from this? Certainly. But there are also people out there who are abusing the system. There were better ways," said Brooks.
The county says they can't prosecute any of this so-called fraud until the governor's office declares their program fraud. That seems highly unlikely, as the governor has continued to defend the program even in the face of mounting criticism.
To be clear, we have interviewed both people who spent the money on the right things, and people who say it wasn't.
I have always had a problem with the 'hand outs'. Did nobody learn from the Katrina incidents? They gave all those people debit cards and many were spending it on booze and electronics.
Give one a fish they eat for a day
Teach one to fish they eat for a lifetime
Hand outs are always a bad idea and history proves what the people will do, come back with their hands held out instead of getting up off of their butts and dusting off their backside and finding a way to make it. I have, many times.
And, who the heck needs $200 for school supplies? I never spent more than $20 on each kid per school year.