Report says Virginia not doing enough for poor
POVERTY IN VIRGINIA: Has the state's safety net failed?
Even during the good times, Virginia isn't doing enough to meet the needs of its poorest residents.
That's the message from the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, which released a report yesterday suggesting that more needs to be done to help those who live in poverty.
The report found that despite a 122 percent increase in unemployment between December 2007 and February 2009, the number of people seeking food stamps rose just 18 percent during that time, and those seeking Temporary Assistance to Needy Families went up by 9.8 percent.
The report pointed out that in 2007, the number of children enrolled in the TANF program was more than 50,000. Yet more than 233,000 children were then living at or below the federal poverty level, which is defined as a household income of $21,000 for a family of four.
Those are "key signals that our safety net programs are not responding as they should," said Michael Cassidy, executive director of the Commonwealth Institute.
The report will likely be part of the discussion today at Virginia's Summit on Poverty and Economic Opportunity at the Omni Hotel in Richmond. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will deliver opening remarks to nearly 100 businesses, community and nonprofit leaders, as well as legislators and state agency representatives, who have convened to create and implement a sustainable plan to fight poverty in Virginia.
The institute's report says the state's strict eligibility requirements for programs like TANF or Medicaid are barriers for many people.
The report suggests that the state should take advantage of stimulus money to create new initiatives and improve insurance assistance for unemployed Virginians.
Virginia could increase the minimum wage, the report says, and expand public health insurance for working parents. The report said currently parents earning more than $6,000 a year likely don't qualify for Medicaid coverage.
Another suggestion was to eliminate unnecessary asset tests, and raise the income test, for those seeking food stamps. Other options called for making the state's earned income tax credit refundable, and overall, doing a better job of reaching out to individuals and families so they're aware of the services available to them.
Contact Holly Prestidge at (804) 649-6945 or
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The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis is not connected in any way with the state of Virginia. The name was chosen in order to persuade the uncritical into thinking this is some kind of “official report”.
The CIFA is partnered with groups like the Economic Policy Institute, which supports most socialist programs, such as legitimizing illegal workers in this country, redistributing wealth (“From each according to his means, to each according to his needs), increasing and indexing the national minimum wage, paving the road for labor unions and organizing all American businesses, to name a few items on their agenda.
Tim Kaine is a transient politician for whom Virginia and its people seem to mean little; otherwise he would have stayed home to do his job instead of chasing Obama around the country, hoping for a bone.
If stimulus money is used to expand entitlement programs, guess who pays when the money runs out?
If you want to see where this ends, look at Massachussetts - financially and morally bankrupt, its citizens taxed to death, and consider if you want to live in a state like that.
Jer1234 you were whining that the Republican’s were not “Big Tent” I was just pointing out that the Democrats are the party of the small tent. I never questioned your work ethic. It does seem that I was spot on about getting over it. You are defensive for no reason. Geez please do get over yourself and a get grip fella.
Cochese, I will not get over myself. You need to get a better outlook on life. I do not watch the liberal media or the News channels ata ll. I also don’t listen to mr Limbaugh although I agree with many of the things he has to say. I work hard, provide for my family, am debt free and still work. I was one of 9 in a one earner family who didn’t even have a car to get to work so he walked or hitched a ride ever day to provide for his family. My dad took butter sandwiches to work most days. I speak from experience so don’t try to tell me to get over it.
Hey Will, article was posted for 2 days on the CNN website about 2 weeks ago. An employer in NE pennsylvania said he could hire 22K people yet no one wanted to apply because they were minimum wage jobs for his business, He said the only people applying were illegal workers and he wouldn’t hire them. Unemployment in his area was around 13%.
“The report suggests that the state should take advantage of stimulus money to create new initiatives and improve insurance assistance for unemployed Virginians.“
The State of Virginia is running deficits along with the Federal Government. Can the authors of this report tell me how much we will need to borrow from the Chinese to support all these transfer payments? The best part of this train wreck is all those 20-30 something year olds will be paying back the Chinese for years to come for all this stimulus borrowing. How does it feel to be in debt forever?
p.s. what would you do with single fathers on welfare? How can you force them to use birth control? They are, after all, half of the baby making process. Do they now have to get permission to have a girlfriend or lover?
Do more to prosecute and collect child support from the fathers who abandoned their children and you’d see a reduction in the number of single mothers on welfare.
You don’t get bank for every kid you have. You have to reapply every time you add someone to your family. It’s not like they just up your money every time you pop one out.
I have worked at social services, I speak from experience, not ignorance or my own assumptions here.
Tammy, who’s going to pay for that birth control? Taxpayers. Last time I checked, thanks to the Supreme Court, the gov’t cannot require anyone to take ANY medications.
Your stereotyping is just as bad as citycynics. You’re basically saying all people receiving welfare are drug addict babymaking machines. That’s not true. As it stands anyone who gets a drug conviction will lose their benefits. Save the drug testing and birth control $ and put it into fraud prevention. If I were you, I’d be more concerned with people who collect money for children that aren’t even living in their homes… it happens. alot.
Umm, some times people have children then, go on welfare! I do think anyone on welfare should have to be on birth control. People say there is no more prejudice, the comments on here sure prove otherwise. So sad.
citycynic: You are putting everyone on welfare into one class. Now that’s being nieve. There are some who are as you state, but there are many who have very valid reasons for being on welfare. I am also, one who would try very hard not to ever be on welfare, but never say never. When you were laid off, did you already have clothing for interviewing, child care, an education, job experience? In today’s working world, you have no choice but to have a computer & internet to apply for a job, that’s in all ranges of the job market. How are these people, as you state, getting so many prescriptions to sell? I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but again it speaks of the system that allows this to take place, and those behind the scenes (not on welfare) with their hands in the pot. I see nothing wrong with welfare (for those who need it), but don’t agree with not educating, supplying job training, childcare, and clothing for interviewing, in which welfare does not pay enough for these necessities. I believe it should be there to help those who need it get on there feet, not live off of it for the rest of their lives. I also believe they should be drug tested, anyone testing positive no more welfare. I am a true believer in helping those who will help themselves. I was offered a part time job, paying $7.00 an hour, now you tell me how one can survive on this amount or less.
“judging by the groceries I see paid for with the food stamp cards,“
You must have been the person jostling my elbow to get a glimpse of my credit card. I thought you were trying to steal the number but now I see you were making sure I wasn’t using a food-stamp card to buy expensive brand-name TV dinners instead. of store-brand like a good po’ person who knows his place.
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