New York – Gov. Paterson plans to dole out $175 million in federal stimulus and other funds in a “back to school” bonus program for hundreds of thousands of welfare and food-stamp recipients, The Post has learned.
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The first-in-the-nation program, which comes on top of a 10 percent welfare hike granted in Paterson’s April budget, allocates $200 to every child between ages 3 and 17 in welfare- and food-stamp-receiving households — even if they’re not attending school.
Of that amount, $107 million would be distributed to welfare and food-stamp recipients in New York City.
About $140 million of the total would come from as-yet-unallocated federal stimulus money earmarked for New York, while the remainder would be made up from a “private foundation” that Paterson administration officials have refused to identify to local officials.
The Post has learned that the private funds will come from two foundations controlled by controversial billionaire George Soros.
Aides to Paterson and officials of the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the agency responsible for the state’s huge welfare system, have briefed New York City and county social-services bureaucrats on the program over the past few days.
The officials were told that Paterson would announce the program Tuesday and were warned not to make it public.
Several local officials complained that Paterson’s office ordered them to make grants to children in families that have violated work requirements mandated by federal and state welfare reforms.
“I’ve never seen a program like this before,” a disgusted county social-services commissioner told The Post. “They’re even including welfare and food-stamp recipients who went off the rolls in mid-July.”
Marissa Shorenstein, a Paterson spokeswoman, said the federal funds had to be used for welfare-related purposes.
Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R-LI) ripped Paterson’s plan, saying, “Every hardworking New Yorker and senior living on a fixed income who lost their STAR property-tax rebate check can thank Gov. Paterson personally for giving it away to pay for new rebates for welfare recipients.”
Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoff, a Republican, said, “The use of federal stimulus funds in this manner is not what was intended in trying to jump-start the economy and create jobs.”
Paterson pushed through a record-high state budget in April that increased the state’s welfare grant by 30 percent over the next three years, slashed $1.5 billion in STAR rebate payments to hundreds of thousands of homeowners and raised taxes and fees by some $8 billion.
Another reason not to work
This should be amusing. Half of Kiryas Joel will be supported by George Soros!
# 2 what’s this joke kj? Look around your own family shame on u
Could someone wxplain to me why I’m still working and paying taxes?
# 5 you don’t work so hard , and you don’t pay so much taxs so don’t compalin so much
I have a great idea we should all stop working and get onto Welfare and other Gov programs and then lets see who Obama will tax to cover all the spending Washington is doing.
Since when does someone that makes $150,000 rich? and if someone makes this amount money it belongs to him cause he worked for it.
Lets collapse what ever is still left of the economy. Lets start thinking like these libs and have America bankrupt fatser then they think.
Elections are next year for Congress and Senate, Govenor and the State elected officials so lets vote these bums out of office and Obama and the Govoner won’t be able to pass anymore spending. Enough is enough.
Look at the Section 8 housing program basically what it did, it increased rent prices so people who can’t get a voucher can’t pay their rent. The same goes for most government social programs.
I think the joke was that is is coming from George Soros, not that it will go to KJ. George Soros is known not to be supportive of Jewish organizations and causes.
I can’t believe the ignorant ignorant ignorant comments I’m reading! Are you people on the same planet. It’s people like these, the world can do without. Seriously! I think most of you are only mad, because you probably applied for assistance and were denied, now you hate the system. There are millions of people out there, poor, middle class, black, white, and disabled who need that little extra helping hand. That doesn’t mean their looking for a handout. Most programs are welfare to work, which means if you people are knowledgeable at all about the welfare system, you’d know these recipients AREN’T sitting home, they HAVE to work. There isn’t any Free welfare. I for one am on unemployment, and NOT voluntarily. I also have taxes taken out which makes me a tax payer. I applaud Gov. Paterson for looking out for the under privileged, and implementing ways to help. That is, if there is any money, and programs left after the rest of the thieving politicians help themselves, and their families to it.
The rich always have donate to chairity so they don’t feel guilty about steeling from the poor people. The that cant spell read or write uneducated welfare recipients that can’t vote because we can’t spell so you say so how would we be smart enough to vote. let’s see ,who voted ? It must of been the middle class. Also God has made each man and woman and child were created equal no matter what their religion is or what God they seek or don’t seek and I rather see our country become socialised then be a communistic country with the republicans at the helm telling us what to do and when to do as as thebush/hitler administration has been doing the last 8 years oh 12 years daddy started it
You are noting more then a first class liar, welfare has a benefit live time cap of five years therefore, your argument that people purposely stay on welfare is facetious, and for you to encompass every disabled body as a cheat is delusional, and I am challenging your higher education you show that you lack civility and feeling for the underprivileged who did not have the brains or money to peruse a secondary education.
so if this is such a good idea why are they giving them the money as cash? how many children are going to get nothing while thier parents get beer, drugs, nails doen, cigarettes. they should have made it so it had to be spent on kids for back to school. this program is going to do more bad than good. – angry social services employee.
What is the difference between the government giving money to needy families and bailing out corporations that misused millions of dollars? First off, I recently applied for foodstamps and was approved. I DO WORK, in fact, I have 2 masters degrees, and I am unable to get a full-time teaching job. I substitute teach and I am unable to apply for unemployment because the school district gives me reasonable assurance that promises to employ me in September. I am normally able to get a summer job to support my family but I couldnt this summer. So I applied for foodstamps ONLY. I also do not have medical insurance for my 4 year old and my 18 year old children. Nonethelesss, I will be very grateful for the $200, because I was literally wrecking my brain trying to figure out how would I get my kids’ school supplies. I must also add, I am a single mom because my husband died 3 years ago. Not all people receiving government assistance are lazy and sit at home collecting a check. Some people really need the assistance and have no intentions of abusing the system.
What a Moron. We work, and are poor, give me my 200.00 so i can get my 3 kids their school supplies, BackAsswards state…>.>
Not everyone that receives the foodstamps or welfare is elgible for the one time benefit. I responded on post #39 . I was approved for foodstamps at the end of July and was approved. I go back to work in September and I am not eligible for the benefit. I spoke to a woman that did receive the benefit and didnt use the money for what it was meant for, and it upset me because she gave validity to some of the negative comments above.
If this money was supposed to stimulat the economy, would it not have made sense to give it the people who would more than likely use the money for their kids. The poor economic times has affected everyone, especially the working people. We pay more for gas to get to work, maintainence on our vehicles, clothes for work, etc. Why on this planet would anyone dream of giving more money to the nonworking people? I work for a LDSS, I am disgusted by this whole situation. The receipents can take this money and use it for whatever they want, no strings attatched. It would have made sense (if there is any in all of this) to issue cards directly to clothing stores and school supply stores so this money could not be misused. What a shame that we have given money away without knowing what will really be bought with it. I wonder how many kids will still show up in filth and have no boots or coats in the winter. There are plenty of free programs in my area that give away back packs filled with supplies. There are also places to receive clothing for kids too. I think this money could have used in much better ways than to encourage the jobless to keep putting a hand out, and not helping themselves. This program was not thought out at all. They will expect it again next year and be ticked when they don’t get it too. Shame on New York State.