Posted on 02/03/2011 12:44:28 PM PST by La Lydia
Just half the eligible Californians were receiving food stamps in 2008, a slight improvement over previous years but well below the national average of 66%, according to federal estimates released Wednesday. California officials dispute the way the figures are calculated and say they are outdated. More than 3.5 million Californians received the nutrition benefit in October, the most recent month for which figures are available. That is nearly 46% more than in October 2008. But the number of people who qualify for the benefit has also increased and it is unclear whether enrollment has kept pace with that growth.
Advocates for low-income families said the state and counties have taken steps in the right direction but more needs to be done.
“There has been some progress in increasing the program’s visibility, but not nearly enough progress at simplifying the application” process, said Matthew Sharp, a senior advocate at California Food Policy Advocates....Only Wyoming had a lower rate, 46%. The highest rates were recorded in Maine (94%), Oregon (92%) and West Virginia (91%).
California officials would like researchers to consider its recipients of federal Supplemental Security Income for elderly and disabled people as food stamp beneficiaries, which they say would improve the state's participation rate...
California is also one of a handful of states that require food stamp applicants to be fingerprinted, which critics say drives away some potential applicants.
A bill introduced by Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes (D-Sylmar) would eliminate the fingerprinting requirement and reduce reporting to twice a year. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed similar bills, citing fraud concerns and the cost of switching systems. His successor, Jerry Brown, has not said whether he would sign such changes into law....
(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
OMG, California is lagging the rest of the nation in everything INCLUDING government handouts!
So, it’s now an honorable goal to get as many people as possible surviving solely on government handouts???
3.5 million Californians received the nutrition benefit in October,
I stopped after this nonsense. NUTRITION BENEFIT is what they are calling it? I am so sick of this crap. It is called Food THEFT! Call it what it is. Just like the freaking 7-11’s and other stores announcing that they take “Independence Cards” which is the fing welfare cards. It is beyond ridiculous. When are these creeps going to see cuts in their “BENEFITS”? Instead of the Pentagon, start with these freaks and then afterwards go after the Pentagon. But start with the Nutrition Benefit and Independent Card people first.
Do they take food stamps at Whole Foods?
I bet they are counting illegals who aren’t eligible for benefits.
Obama’s Organizing for America website brags about it, like it is a good thing, an Obama achievement.
Illegals are eligible for benefits in California. That is a major part of California’s problem.
Every Welfare recipient is a guranteed vote (probably a few votes actually), so I understand their dedication in this matter.
I am reminded of President Reagan saying something to the effect that we don’t measure our success by how many Americans are on welfare, but by how many are not.
What a concept.
They are not eligible for food stamps [federal program], but their anchor babies are.
As if more of the population on food stamps is a good thing???
California, the nation’s most populous state, is considering saving hundreds of millions of dollars annually by cutting monthly welfare payments to illegal immigrants. The savings doesn’t even include the billions of dollars that California spends annually to educate, incarcerate and medically treat the 2.7 million illegal aliens (7% of the state’s population) who live in the state that has so generously offered them sanctuary for decades. It turns out that legislators are finally realizing that illegal immigrants are draining their precious Golden State.
That’s why California officials, extremely generous with tax dollars in the past, are trying to find a way to eliminate welfare payments to tens of thousands of illegal immigrants. The move, which has caused outrage among the state’s powerful open borders lobby, would save a much-needed $640 million a year.
An example of who the state cuts the monthly checks to is an unemployed 43-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico who gets $650 a month for each of her four children and about $500 in federal food stamps and other vouchers.
Its still chump change compared to what the state spends—between $4 billion and $6 billion annually—on schools, jails and hospitals for illegal immigrants. That doesn’t even include other local government costs such as police and fire, road maintenance and other public services.
The biggest chunk—$2.3 billion—goes to educating about 300,000 illegal immigrant children at public schools throughout the state. California expects to spend around $834 million to incarcerate nearly 20,000 illegal aliens in fiscal year 2009-2010 and well over $700 million to medically treat close to 800,000 illegal immigrants.
More than half the healthcare money will go to emergency services but a substantial portion will pay for nonemergency health services such as abortions, prenatal and postpartum care and even nursing homes
I am sure the illegal parents are scrupulously careful not to eat any of the food bought with their anchor babies’ food stamps.
‘the nutrition benefit’
I’m even flabbergasted at that wording.
Why not just say the money stolen by government from some, and given to others, free?
Not allowed to use em in Casino’s anymore...
Anchor babies get 3 square meals at school, plus during the summer, so the EBT cards can be saved for essential things like Casinos and filet mignon. But cruel GOP’ers make them cook their own lobsters.
They do, but you only get day old croissants and wilted arugula.
CA is far worse. When you subsidize something, you get more of it. That said, there are restrictions on federal benefits for illegals. Food stamps is one such program.
Probably.
Our local organic food co-op depends on them, according to folks who work there.
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