NYS Budget Cuts Proposed for Welfare: Call for Advocacy

http://www.state.ny.us/governor/press/press_0701093.html

We also need to make calls to State legislative leaders: Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (518-455-3791), Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson (518 455-2788), and given the current upheavals, Lt. Governor Richard Ravitch (518 474-8390)

Message: Please raise the state welfare grant as promised and provided $100 Million for jobs for welfare participants and others, using the $638 million in extra federal welfare dollars we are receiving. To balance the budget, raise taxes on Wall St. and the rich."

Background. After 18 years of inaction, state lawmakers agreed to increase the basic welfare grant ($291 a month for a family of 3) by 10% a year for three years. Governor Paterson is proposing to cut this year's increase in half to only 5% ($15 a month).

The federal economic stimulus package gave NYS more than $1 billion over two years in extra funding to help welfare participants. The feds are providing a 4 to 1 match for any funds spent for jobs for welfare participants. Last year we got $70 million for jobs. Governor Paterson is proposing to cut it to $18 million this year, even though we are receiving the second payment of $638 million this year. The Governor instead wants to divert hundreds of millions of these dollars intended to help welfare participants into the general budget.