The Governator: Food Stamps and car allowances

[Ficus]

From the Food Research Action Coalition:

California Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggar's attempt to block a new law that would offer food stamps to more people because of budgetary concerns illogical. The Schwarzeneggar Administration is trying to block AB 231, a law which removes the rule barring families with a car worth more than $4,650 from food stamp eligibility. AB 231 also grants families leaving the TANF Program five months of transitional food stamps. Besides alleviating hunger, the two rule changes would bring an additional $200 million in federal funds into California at an administrative cost of only $4.2 million. In addition, the $4.5 million in sales taxes collected on items like school supplies and clothes purchased by low-income families who would have had to spend that money on food would more than cover those costs, points out the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office.

One thing I don't understand about the Food Stamp program. You cannot have a car worth more than $4,650 (depending on the state) or you are not eligible for Food Stamp assistance.

Yet as we as a society want these people to work, can't we allow people to have a reliable vehicle to drive there?

I am trying to have this changed in my state. California DUers, could you please write to your Governator and let him know that not only is this unfair to those who need assistance, but as the second part of the article points out, expanding buying power of the those who BUY STUFF is a good way to grow your economy?

[Ficus]

1. okay I know

Food Stamps aren't as interesting as the latest 9/11 conspiracy or who said what about Howard Dean, but it's important to those out there who rely on their pitiful allowance to eat.

[loudnclear]

2. There ain't no logic to racism...it just is.

Nevermind that many poor of the majority will be affected...it's just those pesky minorities we are after.

[Ficus]

3. just because they have a decent car

that will get them places and not break down, they do not qualify for assistance. I don't understand the attitude that says that those who need help better "look poor" or else they are milking the system.

Anyone notice how they used to (they have changed to an electronic system in many states) make food stamps look like silly funny colored monopoly money. Like it was play money or something. It's all to make the person feel degraded for the cashier and those standing in line. Like if you "feel" bad enough about being poor you'll just snap out of it.

[BiggJawn]

14. "I'm sorry, we don't accept Canadian Money"...

Is what I was told once.
Having to be ON the damn things while working 40 hours a week was degrading enough, putting up with crap like that just made it worst.

Yeah, I worked a 40-hour job and got food stamps. $2.25 an hours, new baby, stay-home wife (couldn't afford to have her working. Child care would have been $100 a week and we would have lost our food stamps. It was bad having to use them, but I wasn't so damn proud that I couldn't see what it woulkd have been like w/o them)

I didn't qualify for un-employment when I was laid-off from a $14-an-hour factory job,because I owned 2 vehicles...a motorcycle and a 8-y-o car.

[David__77]

4. The system is screwy.

It tells people to sell their car in order to receive temporary assistance. Of course, the goal is to make receiving assistance a cumbersome and humiliating experience. I think though that with the right onslought of protest and exposure, some of these plans will be rolled back. We've seen a pattern with this already, we need to make sure it continues. He wouldn't want to be "uncompassionate" would he?

[Ficus]

7. I think Arnold might be more RW

than we expected. He kinda used Bush's formula to run. Act like a loveable idiot - don't really say a whole lot in terms of policy, and get elected.

I don't know though, since I don't live in CA.

[David__77]

19. No I don't think so.

More than anything, he's an opportunist. He's not interested in being a particular ideologue, just amassing the "acclamation of the people." In order to most effectively do so, he must triangulate the typical rightist GOPers. They're already grumbling. That's not my optimism talking, just a lot of observation here in Sacramento.

[frylock]

5. that a-hole probably spends that amount on tires for his fuggin humvee..

and I agree that the system is set up to humiliate the people that desperately need this assistance. There is no reason they couldn't set up the Food Stamp program to use a debit card.

[Ficus]

6. here in IA

they have set up an electronic benefit transfer system - and more states need to do that.

In addition, more states need to either a) get rid of the car value allowance or b) exempt a vehicle from it.

I hate the stereotypes that go with food stamps. It's silly - I hear conservatives go on about their tax money going to "welfare mothers using food stamps to buy drugs and smokes" which you cannot do anyways, and even at that, only about 1/4 who qualify are even on food stamp assistance. NOT ENOUGH people are getting help.

Many think that if you got kicked off of TANF that means you cannot get food stamps. The gov't needs to do better outreach for some of these programs.

[GOPisEvil]

8. Actually, EBT is mandatory in all states by 2007 (I think).

Also, there is a requirement for these systems to be inter-operable from state to state.

Outreach is a big problem for the states. Here in Texas the USDA had us conduct more outreach programs because we were too successful in running people off benefits.

Here in TX, for Food Stamps, the first $15k of the family's most expensive vehicle is exempted. Weird that we are more relaxed on that here.

[Ficus]

9. interesting to know that about TX

I think you are right about EBT too. It's nice to know that TX is progressive on some things.

USDA has been developing great outreach programs. They've done quite a bit of work on that, for example, you can go online, and find out if you qualify. Of course, internet access and knowledge of this is not as easy to access for poor people.

US Dept. of Labor has done some good outreach as well as far as using in the internet to connect people with job training and/or opportunities.

[GOPisEvil]

10. Texas has an interactive on-line application.

It does a lot of what the USDA's site does, but tailored for the rules specific to TX.

We have a few progressive ideas, but I'm guessing that if the political climate remains the same, next session of the legislature will contain some roll-backs in FS like there were with Medicaid and CHIP this last session. We rank near the bottom in TANF payments, too. :-(

[Ficus]

12. would you give me that URL?

I'd like to look at what TX does. Iowa could use something similar. I am doing some work in addition to my food bank job for a policy council that tries to affect policy like this.

[Ficus]

11. FNS pre-screening tool

outreach by USDA

http://209.48.219.49/fns/

[theoceansnerves]

22. we have EBT here in california

i was very close, at one point, to applying for food stamps. if i remember correctly, even if your car is valued under the maximum limit, they still hold it against you (e.g. you get less assistance if your car is valued at $2000 then if it's valued at $1000.) i decided i could make it on my own rather than submitting myself to being fingerprinted and having all my purchases tracked. i know a lot of people unfortunately don't have that option. there is also the WIC program here in california and there are only certain things you can buy through that program (like milk and bread) although with food "stamps" you can buy anything. the idea of poor people only buying "drugs and smokes" is extremely offensive to me.

[sharkbait2]

13. He obviously hasn't had to buy a used car

A vehicle worth $4,650 (I assume blue book) isn't much of a vehicle anyway. In most markets, its a vehicle 1980's or older and with 100k miles on it.

Its BS anyway, because you can be unemployed and hungry in need of food stamps and have a car from better times. What are you supposed to do? sell the car which you spent years trying to pay off?

[patdem]

15. Hell, even all them cadillacs welfare moms drove in 1980 are worth less

than that now.

But the Energy companies who are makeing profits hand over fist right now need corporate welfare in the energy bill...a transfer of wealth from the middle class, (now that the rich pay very little in taxes) to the richest corporations on the face of the earth??

I bet THEY (heads of energy corporations) drive Rolls Royces, but nobody notices???

Seems the richest of the rich want to be paid in stock options only, because labor pays more in taxes than capital gains now...ummmmm????

[Ficus]

16. good point

the biggest recipents of welfare in this country is the corporate class. And yeah, last time I saw, they were driving nice vehicles.

What a double standard.

[0007]

17. Try this one on!

I know of a 52 year old women living in North Carolina that lives in a 280,000 dollars home collecting food stamps.

And she does indeed need the food stamps!

[patdem]

18. Does NC allow food stamp receipients to keep their homes?

I am sure she did not pay 280,000 for her home, and pays all her retirement in taxes just to keep her home...most states will make you sell your home if you want assistance. I am glad she is able to stay in her home and still collect food stamps.

[revcarol]

20. Thank ol' Ronnie for all the hassles and limitations.

Here you are allowed $200 in a bank account, a car worth not more than $2,000, and not much in other assets. Can keep the family home. Sell everything over asset limit to buy food, then apply for food stamps.

Ol' Ronnie thought all food stamp people just bought steaks and beer, and had all this used money just lying around.

P. S. You can't even buy tampons with food stamps. Just food, and not pre-prepared food, like a burrito to go.

[Hamlette]

21. food stamps and cars

it's a little more complicated. You can have a car of any value if you live in it, derive your living from it (taxi) need to to transport a disabled household member for medical care, necessary for transporting fuel and water necessary for the home or it is necessary for long distance travel which is necessary for work.

The catch is the $4650 (which is the federal limit) is the fair market value "REGARDLESS OF ANY ENCUMBRANCES ON THE VEHICLE." It's a Reagan welfare queens in expensive looking cars provision. (You have a car worth $5000 and you owe $4,000...doesn't matter, no food stamps)

In my state a local church set up a program to help get cars for poor people. The church gave them the cars and they didn't think to report it to the welfare office. Turned out that had huge overpayments of food stamps etc because the car made them ineligible. The church didn't want to keep title because they didn't want the liability.

It's a stupid provision but it's federal so I don't know how California gets around it (although it seems most states do get around it. I'm guessing the states have a federal waiver.)