Posted on 08/11/2009 12:53:55 PM PDT by b4its2late
Albany, NY - Governor David A. Paterson today announced a historic collaboration with George Soros and the Open Society Institute (OSI) that will provide one-time, $200 grants to more than 800,000 children in low-income families across New York State to help purchase school supplies as they prepare to return to class in September. Families who receive public assistance or food stamps can access this one-time Back-To-School Supplement of $200 per school-aged child (ages 3 through 17) starting today. The Governor was joined by Mr. Soros and other elected officials at P.S. 208 in New York City today to make the announcement.
“This first-of-its-kind partnership in New York is an example of how the public and private sectors can work together to foster a brighter future for the low-income families of our State,” Governor Paterson said. “These $200 grants will provide thousands of families with a much needed financial boost so that they can better meet the needs of their children as they prepare to go back to school. This partnership is a continuation of my commitment to aggressively identifying opportunities to use economic stimulus funds to help our neediest New Yorkers and to bolster our State’s economy.” Advertisement:
Mr. Soros said: “Even in the toughest of economic times, getting ready for school is important. When I was a student right after World War II, I had no money. I received cash from charities and I remember how important that was to my education. Since then, I have been very fortunate, so I am happy I've been given the opportunity today to help others. I hope these funds will relieve some of the financial burden on New York’s families so their children can start the school year off with a measure of optimism and hope for the future.”
Starting today, the $175 million sum is providing eligible families of school children, ages 3-17, with a one-time payment of $200 per child. The funds are available through the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card system, which is used to access public assistance and food stamp benefits. Recipients can use their EBT card to withdraw the funds through an ATM, or to pay for items at retail locations where the cards are accepted.The supplements will be placed in accounts for each eligible family that can be accessed with their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which are normally used to access public assistance and food stamp benefits. Two-thirds of the eligible recipients of the back-to-school supplements are in food stamp-only households, and the majority of these households are low-income working families or families receiving unemployment benefits.
Families can use the money to buy their children books, pencils, pens, notebooks, calculators, backpacks, shoes, tutoring, school uniforms and other clothing and essential school items. Families should look to take advantage of discounts offered by retailers in the coming weeks before school starts. The $175 million in Back-To-School Supplements will provide an economic boost to communities throughout the State as families purchase supplies, bolstering back-to-school retail sales.
Families should also check the New York State Consumer Protection Board’s “Stretch Your Dollar” tips at www.consumer.state.ny.us/syde_page.htm, to get ideas on how to make the back-to-school funds buy more while spending less to help their children. Recipients’ eligibility for public assistance, food stamps, child support and medical assistance will not be affected by receiving these one-time Back-To-School Supplements.
According to the NYC welfare office the funds are available for withdrawal up to 90 days from today.
By George Winner Created 08/11/2009 - 2:29pm
Albany, N.Y., August 11–State Senator George Winner (R-C-I, Elmira) was highly critical today of a plan announced by Governor David Paterson to provide a new $200-per-child payment to welfare and food stamp recipients statewide, which they can access starting today.
Read more [1].
Winner said the governor’s plan was developed with no legislative input or public hearings and lacks the kind of safeguards and oversight that prevent abuse and fraud. It will allow the state to access $140 million in federal stimulus aid in order to implement what the Paterson administration calls a “back to school” public assistance plan to provide $200 per child to all of the state’s welfare and food stamp recipients. Recipients can access the new cash grant through a “top-off” on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card.
The new welfare grant would be given regardless of whether a welfare or food stamp recipient complied with work and other requirements, and even if a child wasn’t enrolled in school, attending school, or had dropped out.
“It’s a highly questionable government giveaway – no strings attached, no legislative oversight, just visit your local ATM. What’s happening to accountability in this government?” said Winner, who throughout the past year has repeatedly called on the Paterson administration to crack down on abuse and fraud in the state’s system of Medicaid and other social services programs. “And it comes at the worst possible time for state and local taxpayers. How about a new tax cut or job creation program instead of another state giveaway?”
Paterson announced the plan earlier today as a collaboration with George Soros and the Open Society Institute (OSI). The new one-time grants will be distributed to more than 800,000 children across the state.
Winner noted that the new “back to school” plan, which was recently detailed in a confidential memo from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) to local governments statewide, arrives at the same time the state is facing a $2.1-billion budget deficit.
“It’s not a ‘back to school’ plan, it’s more like New York government going back to a bad past of uncontrolled, irresponsible spending,” said Winner. “It’s out of touch with the struggles facing New York’s hard-working families and taxpayers.”
Winner said that 2009-10 state budget included an increase in the basic welfare grant, which increased by 10 percent last month and will rise a total of 30 percent by July 2011. He said that the budget also provided $2 million to streamline the current Medicaid enrollment process and do away with safeguards like fingerprinting, interviews, and eligibility testing.
Also known as “Votes for Sharpies!”
Includes cool friendship slave bracelets, heavy-duty eraser suitable for erasing most of the US Constitution, and an Official Trilateral Commission lunchbox
No oversight?! So since the kids may not even be in school, that money can be spent on ANYTHING or am I missing something?? I homeschool my six year-old son and still pay taxes to pay for other kids education. I don’t get any kind of tax break, yet THEY get $200 credit per child that may or MAY NOT even go towards school supplies? Un-freakin-believable! Well, actually, nothing suprises me anymore. I may have to pay for my son’s supplies out of pocket AND pay for another kid’s education, but atleast I can rest knowing (that for NOW atleast) the government run schools can’t brainwash my child.
Typical Government and Liberal Activism SCREW UP.
“Recipients can use their EBT card to withdraw the funds through an ATM, “
Oh now there is a great idea.......
The people in our Government system are so beyond stupid that it is no longer funny..
You want to help SCHOOL CHILDREN get SCHOOL SUPPLIES you don’t hand out cash.
You want 800,000 kids to benefit. Okay you divide the total amount of money that you want to issue amongst the school districts you want to cover. The schools, who can already get deals on BULK buys, use the money to buy sets of school equipment for the children eligible within their school system. The kids arrive at school the sets are distributed.
What?! And I’m getting taxed because I have 1 child?! How on Earth can they explain that? They take away from my baby and give it to people who don’t work with 10 kids!!!!
Explain that to me Obambi, where is the fairness in that? I didn’t get out of a communist country to come to the US to the same thing. Where are we to go now?!
I bet beer and cig sales are up in the next 30 days.
Read the article. Soros donated $1.75 million for 800,000 kids. I don’t see any problem with this at all. Rather his money than tax money.
All the money is donated by Soros. It’s not your money. Folks, we don’t have to disagree with EVERYTHING the liberals do. This kind of donation is exactly what this nation is about.
Goerge Soros should be indicted, convicted and sitting in a jail cell.
hell, it still ain’t worth that... they gotta’ git some of Soros’ new bar-b-que that he’s invested in up there, too.
Why does this stink so bad I can smell it from here?
800,000 kids times $200 is way more than $1.75 million that Soreass donated. Soreass’s donation is a drop in the bucket for the $160 million cost.
I'm not very knowledgeable about U.S. tax laws — but, I understand that there are generous tax breaks for foundations such as OSI. Soros’ contribution would be money net of tax breaks (which he wouldn't otherwise have in his pocket).
He was hoping that all the public schooled taxpayers wouldn’t do the math. 800,000 x $200 = 160 Million. Soros paid $1.75 million. Guess who paid the rest??
Kids wouldn’t need $200 in schools supplies if their lists didn’t include “paper towels, hand wipes, kleenex” I kid you not. I paid $2,500 in school property tax last year and they can’t furnish kleenex!!
I’m homeschooling a kindergartner. I spent $25 at Target last week. I’m good to go.
Yeah, I did the math too. The tab is $160,000,000. Wonder how much of that gets to where it's supposed to...10-20%....... maybe?
FMCDH(BITS)
Another reward to encourage those who have children they cannot afford.
In other news, the DEA reports a spike in crack sales and heroin overdoses.
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