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Amazon will now offer discount memberships to its Prime subscription service at a rate of $5.99 each month. Prime is best known for getting subscribers unlimited free two-day shipping on most items, as well as allowing access to Prime Music, Prime Video, Prime Reading and Prime Photos. For now, the discount is available to people with a valid Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, but Amazon said it plans to expand the lower rate to people on other government assistance programs. Amazon said a Prime membership helps customers “save time and money.” “We designed this membership option for customers receiving government...

MADISON, Wis. — Some of the boldest reforms to public assistance in the nation may arise from the Wisconsin Legislature in coming months. Armed with the largest Assembly majority in 57 years and comfortable control of the state Senate, Republican leadership appears to be putting together the kind of ambitious reform agenda that could rival 2011, when the Republican-led majority introduced and passed a spate of conservative — and controversial — initiatives. On Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, announced the creation of the Public Benefit Reform Committee. While the new committee’s chair or its members have yet to be...

It's about a 4 per cent increase between the benefit increase and the increased expense deduction. Heard about this increase and searched 'Bing News' and Google News' and found nothing. Finally found this Pa. state welfare site that mentions it.

Gun owners give up weapons for groceries SAN DIEGO — Gun owners had a chance to exchange weapons for Friday morning. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the United African American Ministerial Action Council held another installment of their “Guns for Gift Cards” program from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Tubman/Chavez Multicultural Center in Valencia Park. The program allows people to turn in working-condition guns, no questions asked, in exchange for monetary vouchers redeemable at area grocery stores. Shotguns and rifles bring $50 credit each, while pistols and assault-type weapons fetch $100 apiece. Participants must place the weapons,...

Man in $3.8M food stamp fraud case sentenced A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Al-Idu Al-Gaheem to one year and one day in prison for his role in a scheme that bilked $3.8 million from the federal food stamp program. Al-Gaheem, the former owner of two Dayton View businesses and the imam of Masjid At-Taqwa mosque, was the second of four defendants to be sentenced in the case. All four defendants have pleaded guilty. Al-Gaheem faced as many as four years in prison after he pleaded guilty in August to felony charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy...

My son called me, furious.  “I was just in line at the grocery store, and the girl in front of me had all this food and paid for it with an EBT card,” he told me.  “Okay,” I said, trying to calm him down.  “You’ve lived here all your life--you know that’s normal in L.A.”  “Yeah, but her boyfriend was in line right behind her and he had beer and all kinds of alcohol and then he got cigarettes and they paid for it with their EBT cash card after they got all their food!” he yelled.  “I saved all...

Several days after state Rep. Russell E. Holmes (D-Boston) pleaded for EBT card reform at a State House press conference last week, he was hit with another reminder of the deep flaws in the system. Holmes was at the Roxbury Stop & Shop by Grove Hall last Sunday when someone approached him asking if he wanted to buy the man’s EBT card. “His price was 50 cents on the dollar,” Holmes said. “It’s not a surprise to me.” Holmes has spent the last few months on an EBT card commission trying to reform the system. “It’s something that’s prevalent,” Holmes...

Beacon Hill Republicans are calling for a massive overhaul of the state’s welfare system after a crew of alleged Lynn grifters was charged with scamming thousands from taxpayer-funded EBT cards — including some who allegedly took the public money as payment for crack. “I want to see major reform here in Massachusetts,” fumed state Rep. Shaunna O’Connell, a Taunton Republican heading a legislative panel reviewing the EBT program. “You can spend that money on anything you want. There’s no oversight.” The latest example of alleged rampant abuse occurred in Lynn, where authorities said four convenience stores let customers withdraw hundreds...

Federal, state and Lynn cops busted up a welfare fraud ring at a pair of convenience stores today, arresting several people for allegedly ripping off taxpayers with government-issued EBT cards, the Herald has learned. Agents from the federal Department of Agriculture, state troopers assigned to Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office and Lynn police raided two downtown stores this morning and arrested at least six people on fraud-related charges, sources told the Herald. The investigation focused on allegations that people with EBT cards — which are issued to the needy to purchase food — were being misused. Officers were still...

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: From Judicial Watch: "In its quest to promote taxpayer-funded entitlement programs, the Obama Administration has actually rewarded one state with a $5 million bonus for its efficiency in adding food-stamp recipients to already bulging rolls. It’s part of the administration’s campaign to eradicate 'food insecure households' by improving access and increasing participation in the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)," or food stamps. "This week Oregon officials bragged that the USDA has given the state $5 million in 'performance bonuses' for ensuring that people eligible for food benefits receive them and for its 'swift processing of applications.'...

State Gets $5 Mil Bonus For Food Stamp Sign Up 09/29/2011 In its quest to promote taxpayer-funded entitlement programs, the Obama Administration has actually rewarded one state with a $5 million bonus for its efficiency in adding food-stamp recipients to already bulging rolls. It’s part of the administration’s campaign to eradicate “food insecure households” by improving access and increasing participation in the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Incidentally, the program was recently changed to SNAP to eliminate the stigma that comes with a name like food stamps. Just a few months ago the federal agency that administers the program,...