Thursday, September 15, 2011

Welfare Reform

Due to the high numbers of welfare fraud and abuse - this is a few things that could improve the system.
At the local check cashing place, I have seen with my own eyes on welfare day a great amount of money being sent to Mexico.   The welfare recipients just simply swipe their EBT card to obtain the cash portion from the welfare and Western Union large sums of it from the same location.
With all this being said the agency that issues the money is the same that wires the money.  
The following plan would not only reform welfare, it would also stop the large amounts of money being sent outside the United States to places such as Mexico.  At the same time, it would increase tax dollars, create jobs and serve the purpose in which it was originally designed for.
The state should move towards a voucher system.  In doing this, the policy should decrease the cash allowance per month per household to less than one hundred dollars.
1.       The state shall pay a rent allowance in the form of a check or voucher to the landlord directly.  At the end of each year the state agency that issued the check shall issue a 1099 tax form to the landlord. By paying the money direct and issuing a 1099 form, the state would realize more revenue by the way of taxes.  The landlord would be more accountable and pay taxes based on the fact that all money paid to the landlord was documented.
2.       Food vouchers shall be issued and only allowed to be used on food and hygiene products such as soaps, tooth paste, etc.  The vouchers shall not be used for beer, soda, pre-cooked foods, candy, fast foods etc.  There should be a list of approved items in which can be purchased with the vouchers. The vouchers should also only be accepted / used at major food chains, not your corner liquor store. Therefore the state will receive its tax dollars.  Most “Mom & Pop” stores do not always report there correct income and violate the guidelines we already have in place.  
3.       Every person on welfare shall be issued an identification card with their photo on it.  These persons must present it every time for any purchase of any item where food stamps or vouchers will be used to pay.  They must also present a California driver license or ID card issued by the State of California.
4.       If any grocery retailer honors the food stamps or vouchers without the proper two forms of  identification shall be guilty of a crime
5.       Any person buying or selling stamps or voucher shall be guilty of a crime and both parties shall reimburse the state two times the amount of the face value of what was sold or bought.
6.       All utility bills shall be paid as follows: No allowed phone bills for no reason shall be paid with state funds; gas for general cooking and heating shall be paid with a voucher by the agencies, and the state shall be charged the lowest rate with a cap per month.  All water and trash shall be paid by landlord.
7.       A clothing voucher shall be issued and be only redeemed at stores like K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Big Lots, etc. with the proper ID as mention above.  The amount of the voucher shall be determined by the grant given to the participant and only given twice per year.
8.       As part of the right to receive welfare, all adults in the household shall agree to random drug test If a person is tested and found to be under the influence of a non-prescription drug, they shall have a one time chance to enroll into a drug program and will be required to complete it in the time the court or hearing officer allows.  If this is not complied with, the grant shall be lost.
9.       Any person requesting welfare will only be eligible if they have been a resident of the state for a minimum of one calendar year and cannot be eligible to receive unemployment benefits or any other state or government assistance.
10.   Any person on welfare that is employed shall be required to submit pay stubs monthly to their social worker. Anything above minimum wage shall be deducted from their food stamp allowance and/or vouchers to the minimum threshold set but the state.
11.   All persons receiving welfare over the age of 18 shall be enrolled into a Job Search program and shall provide proof each and every month.
12.   All persons on welfare over the age of 18 shall be enrolled into Community service and shall provide proof of service for 20 hours each month.
13.   All persons on welfare over the age of 18 shall furnish the state through the case workers copies of tax returns for every year.
14.   All persons on welfare shall not commit crimes or be incarcerated in the state or county jail system for any reason.  This also applies to house arrest cases.
15.    Illegal use of vouchers or id cards should be considered a felony.
16.   Sub-renting to anybody from a person on welfare shall not be permitted.
17.   No married spouses of any gender shall not reside in the home or receive benefits of any kind. Any person caught doing so shall lose grant and must reimburse the state.
18.   Medi-cal should not be a right, all minor children shall be treated Adults over 18 yrs of age shall seek their own medical insurance.
19.   Dental care for adults shall be limited to emergency care only. Children shall receive full treatments approved per the agency guidelines.
20.   Eye care for adults shall be limited to emergency care only. Children shall receive full treatments approved per the agency guidelines.
21.   Special needs for diabetic and handi-cap children shall be approve per the primary doctors requirement for treatment in a timely manner.
22.   Bus passes shall be issued for all people listed on the grant the use of the pass shall be only for such persons.  A photo ID shall be required in order to ride and passes for the children shall be limited.
23.   No person on welfare shall maintain a bank account or bank accounts with combined amounts of more than one hundred dollars.
24.   No person on welfare shall hold stocks, bonds, 401K accounts.
25.   Any person caught selling drugs shall lose the welfare and lose their right to apply for welfare again.
26.   Any person caught living out of state and collecting welfare shall be guilty of a crime.  As part of the penalty they shall repay two times the amount of total grant paid out.
27.   Any person caught sending money out of state shall be convicted of a crime and shall pay three times the amount that has been sent out of state
28.   Check cashing centers shall not be allowed to issue state funds.  This needs to be done at local welfare offices.
29.   Reporting to the welfare office must be done every two months.  Recipients must file a status report including verification of school attendance records, community service reports and job search verification.
30.   All Children on welfare shall be enrolled in school and attend.  It is the parents’ responsibility to see that they attend and provide proof to the case worker.  After 30 days of absence at school, the student shall be removed from the case. Each child who is a student will be allowed 30 days per year or six days per quarter, with no un-excused absences.   
31.   School lunch vouchers shall be provided by the state and shall not be part of the case.
32.   Welfare should be treated as Child support if person or persons become gainfully employed then the money shall be reimburse to the state but shall not be reimbursed so that it will put them back on the welfare.  Any person not on or who did not receive welfare shall be required to reimburse the amount owed and if child support was paid it shall be credited to such amount owed.  
33.   Any person that collects welfare shall be a U.S. citizen.  If they are not a citizen then they are not eligible to receive welfare.
34.   The state shall provide no-cost birth control for any person on welfare.
35.   Inspections by welfare department are a must in order to control the abuse of the welfare system.  All workers shall be trained in the guidelines for welfare and shall be a U.S. citizen.  This position should be filled by only the highest qualified workers and shall be held accountable. 

11 comments:

  1. Well you are not Governor, and I am sure most would have done or do this if it is easy as listing it on your blog as you have. There is a state senate and assembly to work with, you know.....

    Wake up call. I am from a middle class family, disabled and no job wants to insure me. I can't get Medi-Cal until SSDI approves me which in turn I have no money for my 18 meds. General Relief (cash aid that you GET TO BORROW) is $84 per month for a single person and a whole $239 once homeless.

    I highly doubt too many are living some sort of grand life as you are implying with the amount of money being given.

    I don't get utility bills paid, clothing vouchers, etc. I simply get to go through a pile of paperwork to BORROW $84 PER MONTH.

    What I would change is make business people like you stop getting information from the insurance companies on their employees and bullying/firing them for their disabilities simply because they are expensive and raise their rates. I would make sure the ADA is enforced and make businesses at employ at least one person with a disability, including invisible disabilities.

    I am just a woman with multiple autoimmune diseases who has reached a point of frustruation with what business people like you get away with, SUCH AS FIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR BULLYING THEM OUT THE DOOR TO SAVE MONEY.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I appreciate your response and I am glad that you responded. From your comment, it seems that you have misinterpreted my point. My point is that the system should be used towards people that are in need rather than using it as a crutch for luxury. If you go through my photo gallery, you will see a hair salon that accepts "EBT". I think that people should receive food, housing, clothing, bus passes, vouchers etc. I never stated I was against it. I just stated that I think it should be verified that it is used for that. I am a disabled business owner and I do not look toward my insurance company for nothing, I know I'll have to wait to long to receive any benefits. I am not the business person that you are depicting as I have not fired anyone in 18 years especially anyone with a disability. Look forward to your comments and I hope this clarified things up for you. Thank you & Good Luck. Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well, those that are collecting welfare and looking for a job will need to get their hair cut. Would you hire someone with unkept hair? Some customer service positions require hair is kept up/cut.

    I doubt there is enough money for highlights or extensions with the amount of money they receive, just a simple haircut. Some hair places accept because people need their hair cut to look appropriate for a job interview, to get them off welfare and working.

    I am glad you follow the ADA and HIPPA laws in your business. Just fyi, most don't. There is not alot of talk about it from various foundations because they receive money from the companies who do this. It is very easy for a business person to donate money to a foundation for those with chronic illness to look good. The question is will they employ and accommodate them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. PS thanks. I am going to get Subway for dinner! Just viewed your pics.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Seriously. What is wrong with people using their EBT for Subway or fast food? That is a luxury to you? Some on food stamps can't cook like me. Some have no stove or microwave, as they are homeless.

    Think about it. That is why they are accepting at fast food places...for the homeless.

    You better think about things before your rant. You have no idea what it is like to be in these peoples shoes. I am not saying some do not abuse but for most, escecially in this economy, the claims are quite valid.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Princess, I think you need to stop making excuses for some broken down system that is abbused in its entirety!Some people genuinely need assistance and there is nothing wrong with that! But there are people that also trade there food stamps for money to purchase alcohol,cigerettes,narcotics and more.What is wrong with reforming a system and making something work that has not for so long? What is wrong with making it easier for people as yourself to recieve benefits and possibly more, if all the fraud and curuption is eliminated? The cost of fast food is much higher then going to the grocery store planning ahead and making meals. For someone that can type but cannot cook? Thats a question in its self! You obviously have the internet and you are not blogging from a card board box and the last I check they do not provide internet access in shelters!You are in such a struggle? You have it better then some people you have mention that may be homeless!You mention that you go through a stack of paperwork to borrow are you at any point paying it back? You have taken this blog very personal and you have a answer for everything and its makes me wonder, are you abusing the system? Or just looking for a continued hand out!

    ReplyDelete
  7. 1)My internet service has not been shut off yet. The bill has not been paid.

    2)My point was, those in a cardboard box can't plan meals nor do they have a stove or microwave to cook.

    3)I am on chemotherapy along with 17 other medications. The government wants the disabled working but allows rich business people to fire people that are supposedly protected by the ADA.

    4)Why I take this personally is there are people dying without insurance and prejudice people spend time upset about immigration problems in Cali when someone running for Governor employed one as a housekeeper for years.

    5)I am far from abusing the system, I am exposing it and just getting started. If I want to take my food stamp money and get Subway while people like you are firing the sick to save money so you can go take an extra trip to Hawaii, I will.

    ReplyDelete
  8. PS
    Don't be prejudice. This blog is strictly against hispanics. Most of them work harder than any of you in degrading jobs with no appreciation.

    I am white raised in an affluent area in California. I stick up for those who need it from people like you. Go fire someone with Lupus or MS for your next car. Make yourself feel good and keep blogging how you hate the people you wouldnt hesitate to take advantage of to clean your toilet for $5 whether they were on welfare or not.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Correction: Go bully someone that is ill out the door so they quit and you get out of unemployment to save on your insurance. Or put ten people on your assistants desk to support while they are ill. See how much they can handle. That's someone looking for a handout alright, someone who works their ass off to be tortured while the rich violate ADA and HIPPA laws. Has your medical information ended up at your high school reunion due to HIPPA violations with insurance and employers?

    It sounds to me you are a bit threatened, of what all I may expose, which let me tell you is quite a lot. Especially since I kept so much of it; documented harassment.

    http://www.bullyfreeworkplace.org/

    Toodles! Enjoy bashing the illegals you hire as your maids!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Princess,First off sorry for your current medical condition nobody should have to experience what you are going through. NOBODY! Cancer is a terrible disease that is rapidly growing and they have made great progress in the fight to find a cure. But I believe the government could be doing more to support this fight! However, I think you have a lot of hostility and it should be directed towards a system that is clearly not treating you right and that is the whole point. This welfare system needs an entire overhaul! The system needs to be structured to help individuals like you not the people that just think it’s an entitlement and are willing to settle for hard working tax payers to pay into this and they do nothing to better themselves. In the end the word Welfare replaced "charity" as it was known for thousands of years, being the act of providing for those who TEMPORARELY or PERMANENTLY could not provide for them selves. This does not mean this should be available to everyone. It should be available to the people who truly need it (like you). Not the people who want to free load off of the system and turn around and blame the same system for there own faults. The bottom line is there is nothing wrong with people that do not have physical complications to receive a little help. It’s the people that think that the can milk it for all that its worth and with out hard guidelines this will continue to happen and the people that truly are needy suffer!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Princess, after reading all of your comments, sounds to me like you should be receiving disability or social security, unless you have not worked enough in your life to receive those benefits. This blog is not only about Mexicans, it's about ALL illegal immigrants coming here, working without proper documentation taking jobs from citizens who are unemployed. Thank you for all of your feedback and your comments - please look forward to our next week's blog.

    ReplyDelete