Alfred Lubrano at Philly.com: Pennsylvania to impose asset test for food stamps
Pennsylvania plans to make the amount of food stamps that people receive contingent on the assets they possess - an unexpected move that bucks national trends and places the commonwealth among a minority of states.
Specifically, the Department of Public Welfare said that as of May 1, people under 60 with more than $2,000 in savings and other assets would no longer be eligible for food stamps. For people over 60, the limit would be $3,250.
Houses and retirement benefits would be exempt from being counted as assets. If a person owns a car, that vehicle also would also be exempt, but any additional vehicle worth more than $4,650 would be considered a countable asset.
Anne Bale, a spokeswoman for DPW, said the asset test was a way to ensure that “people with resources are not taking advantage of the food-stamp program,” funded by federal money.
The real translation here is “We’ll make sure you’re penniless before we’ll let you eat.”
Previously, SNAP benefits were need and income based rather than asset based. For instance, those individuals with a monthly gross income of $1,444 or below are currently eligible in Pennsylvania, with some fluctuations and exemptions (students have different eligibility guidelines that require work or work study, the elderly and disabled have a higher upper ceiling.) And of course, the income ceiling goes up as the household goes up.
But what remained a fact was that current income was the main guideline - with the idea that SNAP was a way to protect vulnerable populations, the recently unemployed, working families, low income individuals, the homeless and all sorts of other individuals for whom putting food on the table is an increasing difficulty.
And the basic idea behind the social safety net is, on some level, resource building. By eliminating the most pressing issues in poverty - be it housing or food - we’re participating in a process that helps free up money that would otherwise have a family living paycheck to paycheck.
So in effect, Pennsylvania is refuting this idea. And if the essential idea of “welfare reform” has been to eliminate dependency on welfare programs (or welfare like programs, as SNAP is actually a USDA program and not HHS), essentially, by adding in asset testing (especially at what I would term a fairly low level - this isn’t a family with $100,000 rolling in the bank. $2,000 in savings is a few months of rent for a recently unemployed person. If that.), you’re perpetuating cycles of dependency and poverty and discouraging asset building that could lead to lifting one’s self out of poverty.
So basically PA is basing legislative decisions off Fox News talking points. You hear that people in need of food stamps? Better get rid of your microwaves and refrigerators if you want to eat.
This is so fucking wrong and really upsetting.
my friend’s family is probably fucked.
This honestly makes me want to vomit. What kind of sick fucking society do we live in? Ugh.
hey you should be forced to sell everything that keeps food safe and also prepares it before we’ll consider helping you
never mind that you’d then be unable to actually use the food you buy??
Because if you at any point ever had nice things, you shouldn’t be allowed to have them if you need help.
Completely ignoring that yes, this sort of program is intended to help people GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
GUESS NOT ANYMORE.
I feel sick.
100% disgusting
(Source: nesbittslimesoda)
