Get your Copy Today
Click Here
Romney’s Plan to Reduce the Welfare Roll
By MassNews Staff
        Gov. Mitt Romney released detailed information on his budget on Wednesday, which included a plan to put 30% of all welfare recipients back to work in order to receive any state benefits.  The changes in the welfare system will bring Massachusetts into compliance with the Federal welfare standards, which are required for Massachusetts to receive $459 million in Federal welfare aid that is expected in 2006. 
        Out of the expected 14,000 recipients who would now be required to work, nearly half are expected to be welfare recipients that have previously been exempt from work requirements on the grounds of having a state-recognized disability.  
        Romney’s plan also eliminates the work exemption for recipients with children under age two, requiring about 3,000 more parents with children over age one to work at least 20 hours per week. Under his proposal, recipients with children ages one to five would be required to work at least 20 hours per week, while those with children older than five would have to work at least 30 hours each week.
        As an incentive to move people into the required work program, Romney’s plan allows recipients to keep at least one half of their earned income before seeing a reduction in their monthly welfare benefits. Recipients now can keep just a third of their wages.  They may also include time spent in job training, education, or taking care of a disabled dependent as time spent at “work”.
          His budget proposal also includes an additional $8 million for job training and education, and $6.4 million for childcare.  Critics charge that the $6.4 million will not be enough to adequately provide childcare to the mothers of small children who will now be required to work.  Some children’s and pro-family advocacy groups also cite the fact that Romney’s proposal will result in parents having less time with their children during very early formative years. 
Copyright 2004 ©All Rights Reserved
MassNews.com®
P.O. Box 5882
Holliston, MA  01746
781-237-2772