Welfare tab keeps going up for towns

By CHELSEY POLLOCK AND DAN O'BRIEN
Union Leader Correspondents
Friday, Oct. 30, 2009                 Share on Facebook

New Hampshire welfare directors, struggling with mounting welfare cases thanks to the recession, are expecting to see community needs -- and budgets -- rise, after some key state programs have been cut or frozen.

Local officials say this could mean reductions in other municipal services or pressure on taxes in the coming year as towns and cities tackle growing welfare expenses.

"We are mandated to be the safety net," said Merrimack Welfare Director Patricia Murphy. "The state can cut, but we can't. We have to pick up all the pieces."

New Hampshire law requires each city and town to set specific eligibility requirements and then provide basic needs assistance to any resident who qualifies.

"It's sort of like snow plowing," Murphy said. "We don't know how much snow we'll get, but we have to plow it."

Some of the state's cuts include:

-- All funding for funeral expenses for those supported by the Aid to the Totally and Permanently Disabled program.

-- A 50 percent cut in an emergency assistance program that typically pays for emergency rent or utility bills for people supported by the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program.

-- Elimination of reimbursement funds to municipalities for supporting people while they wait for approval from some state-funded assistance programs.

Child care help

Murphy said the biggest local impact will come from a new wait list for child care assistance through the Department of Heath and Human Services.

State officials said the funding for child care assistance hasn't changed, but that the number of people asking for help is much higher than usual.

Officials didn't anticipate the situation and aren't sure what's causing it, although there's speculation it relates to people looking for work and needing child care while they do.

For many families, Murphy said, this means child care will now be an out-of-pocket expense, leaving less money to cover basic needs, such as food, heating and rent. For help with those, people might have to turn to their local welfare department.

It's a challenging balancing act to anticipate what those needs will be without over budgeting, said Keith Bates, the Portsmouth welfare director and president of the N.H. Local Welfare Administrators Association.

"My job is to take a look at what's going on in the economic market and predict in January how much I'll be spending," Bates said.

Murphy said the process is a bit like looking into a crystal ball.

"It is a guesstimate of looking at all the different kinds of programs we depend on," she said. "If those programs aren't funded, we have to pick up slack."

Thousands more a month

Christine Lavery, the Human Services director in Peterborough, said though she is currently giving out much more assistance than usual -- $2,000 to $3,000 more per month -- she still thinks that she will say within her budget parameters.

"I've always held a buffer, so that I've been able to stay within it," she said. "I know there are many towns that go way over."

To preserve that buffer, though, Lavery said she had to cut from other areas.

"We have cut our budget and what we did was we had to cut out several places that we donate money to," she said. "We had to cut the things that weren't absolute necessities."

Bates said that it's the same kind of attitude that directs the ways in which residents are able to spend assistance money.

"Basically, when we assist, we're taking their next door neighbor's property taxes and using that to pay for their basic expenses," he said. "We do it in a humane manner, but we're attempting to be fiscally responsible with those resources. Everybody is getting hit to some degree, but these are the people who are hit the most."

Merrimack Town Manager Keith Hickey said that if the welfare department exceeds its budget this year, the town would have to pull funds from other departments to cover the need.

The same process is true for developing an annual budget proposal, he said.

"The council, at this point, has given me a 3.3 percent budget increase," he said. "If there's a need to increase the (welfare) budget, that would have to come from other departments."

First-time applicants

The reduction in state aid couldn't come at a worse time for communities such as Allenstown, where there's a welfare surge, and most are first-time applicants.

"We've had three times as many applicants in October 2009 than we did in October 2008," said Diane O'Callaghan, the Allenstown welfare director.

Two years ago, when O'Callaghan began working as the welfare director, she said most of the applicants were young, single mothers. That has changed in a big way.

She said 72 percent of people who applied for welfare in 2009 were first-time applicants.

"The change in clientele is dramatic," O'Callaghan said. "Most of them are families and what is commonly referred to as the working poor."

Home foreclosures, job layoffs and cuts in work hours have forced families to seek welfare.

"A lot of times one or both parents have lost their job or have had their hours cut to the point that it's like a job loss," she said. "They can't apply for unemployment and they're caught in the middle."

O'Callaghan said many of the applicants have no idea what programs are available and she often walks them through the process.

Murphy said she sees a bright spot in all of this -- community service groups.

"They do supplement some basic needs, and some things that aren't considered basic needs but things that really pull at your heart strings," she said.

YOUR COMMENTS

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Too many people circulate hate emails such as the one bouncing around about testing welfare recipients for drug use. Poor people cannot afford drugs. It is the higher income folks who bring this scourge to our state.

So many of the comments above are so hate-filled and also made without any basis in fact. Many years ago, the welfare system was over-hauled. Reviews are done. Job training is required. Work programs are used. Money spent is monitored. Cash is NOT dispensed and all expenditurse are captured and scrutinized. If you have ANY real property, a house or even a car of any real value, you must sell it before you receive benefits.

Let's stop spreading misinformation. I call on the UL to issue a factual report on this.
- Gary, Stratham

The cities and state governments have a incentive to keep people on welfare. They substantiate their own job security. The only way you will cut costs is change the incentives. Imagine if a city or state worker was given a bonus for finding fraud. Making it part of their performance review will instill a more infomed worker and good ethics will be once again be in style.
- Donna, Manchester

I, too, believe individuals should be drug tested before receiving welfare of any kind. Most companies now require drug testing for employees, why not recipients of welfafe?
- Anna, Manchester

I know I've seen, too many times, people using food stamps (to buy steak) while at the same time using cash that magically appears to buy beer or a bigscreen TV in the same cart. Go to any Wal-Mart, you'll see it eventually, someone running that card through the scanner, then paying for the rest with cash.

There's a good bet they'll get into a nice, new SUV, too.

For every person who needs welfare, there are nine more who game the system.
- David Goss, Manchester

This sense of entitlement is despicable. The economy is bad, but free handouts does nothing to motivate people to get back on their feet. Why should they? Uncle Obama will take care of them. Shameless losers. The government needs to stop the "elbows out, palms up" mentality.
- William, Dover

Susan, Manchester: You would never ever expect your parents to help pay for your chosen lifestyle - but you would expect us to? I didn't give birth to you and raise you, they did.

I guess I lived a sheltered life. Since when do we have to pay for day care for the welfare set? Where does our responsibility end?

I am retired now. But I spent a lot of my earlier years living on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and cheap hamburger and tuna fish when I was just starting out. And I had an apartment that I couldn’t afford to furnish properly because the rent, food and electricity were a higher priority. But I made do and I made it – on my own and with a lot of hard work.

It certainly seems as though we are now raising a younger generation whose parents couldn't, wouldn't or didn't care about them because they were too busy caring only about themselves and that attitude has been passed on.
It's time for this all to come to an end. You need to take responsibility for yourself – and we as citizens need to stand up and say “no” to the endless demands for those who want a comfortable life without at least attempting to work for it.
And I also agree with another poster who said that those who go on welfare and whatever should have an obligation to pay it back. Why shouldn't we treat welfare as just another form of tuition support for higher education?
- Sandy, Thornton

When everyone that can shows up at the public trough to dip in the proverbaial waters of health insurance, just who exactly is going to be paying for it. Right now my paycheck and wallet are feeling pretty limp

Obamalism is now in full swing, aroound and aorund we go...who's gonna pay....no one knows.
- Jack Alex, Manchester

There's a banner ad on the side of THIS VERY WEBPAGE that asks: "On food stamps or medicaid? GET A FREE CELL PHONE!!"
Meanwhile I had to cancel my cell phone because I couldn't afford it anymore.
Do I sound bitter? I think I'm too young to be bitter.
- j, manchester

Welfare abuse is rampant. I know first hand. No, I'm not on welfare, but my sister is. After your child turns 5, welfare cuts you off. So what she did, twice, was have another baby right before the benefits expired. Not only would her benefits be re-instated, but she would get more money than before.
These welfare queens have no excuse. Day care is paid for, which would free up time to go work while your kids were at daycare.
My fiancee also works at a city tax office and everyday she tells me about all these people registering brand new cars, wearing designer clothes and pretty manicured nails. Oh, and the vanity plates they want are paid for with welfare dollars as well.
Meanwhile, I work 50 hours a week to barely get by. Fair, huh?
- j, manchester

To Susan in Manchester: Are you trying to say that it's selfish for people to ask family for support, but its fine for people on welfare to take advantage of the tax payer by "working" the system. Now that is what I call selfish.
- Alex K., Deering, NH

I think it would be a great idea to limit welfare and when they cant collect it anymore. To have them start to pay it back. What type of break does the working class get. We pay the welfare and we keep paying. While the welfare collects and collects and collects. No breaks for the working class. Imagine if we could get and extra 50.00 dollors or and extra 100.00 dallors from paying out to welfare all these years and getting paid back. WOW!! now thats dreamin. lol
- victoria beaverhousen, manchester

NH we have a golden opportunity. DHS is a huge component of our state budget. Lets eliminate welfare for all but, "the Totally and Permanently Disabled".

I might sound harsh as I am a advocating we eliminate child welfare too. The reality is an inconvenient truth; welfare does not help the very people it was designed to. If you are on welfare and you want raise, all you need to do is pop out another kid. In other words you can get a raise once a year without working a day.

I can understand unemployment help to assist people who can and are willing to work get back on their feet, but a never ending source of money is wrong. Some will argue they can't make enough money without welfare. Change jobs or find a job that pays you what you are worth as a result of your education, experience and talent.

We can improve the lives of most NH taxpayers by eliminating or greatly reducing the scope of welfare. I do not have evidence to support this, but it seems logical that ekliminating section 8 housing would also greatly reduce crime.

Save money, reduce crime and improve the qyuality of life for people who work: Who could object to that?
- Michael Layon, Derry

To Chris in Chester:
So you think that the parents of young single mothers should be required to help pay for their children and grandchildren? Because their child decided to have a baby? How is that even fair to the parents? And THEY probably can't afford to take up the cost of this either. You know it's a time of struggle.

By the way...I'm a young single mother who works full time and goes to school part time. I work my butt off so that my child has things. I would never EVER expect my parents to pay for anything for me. That's pure selfishness.
- Susan, Manchester,NH

Jerry writes "Another thing not being addressed here is towns exporting their poor to towns with services." Town needn't "export" the "poor," they go where the money and bennies are just as working folks go where the jobs are. For many years I worked in community service and saw this first had. Suddenly -with a reason unknown to ne - many folks would pick up and move. Seattle was their place of choice for a while. Only later did I catch up with them in understanding why. Seattle had a generous welfare system.
- Don, Nashua

I don't understand why the "young single mothers" don't go back to her parents or the fathers parents? Why should the state take care of people if they have family? You can't convince me that orphans are the only ones having kids out of wedlock.
- Chris`, Chester

Todd, another thing they love to do in order to get thsoe brand new cars is lease because it isn't counted towards their welfare.. or pop out more kids so they can get more money.

Don't get me wrong, lets help the people in need but all the people who take advantage make me sick
- Shawn, Manchester

Ah, the "me first" attitude of the great liberal entitlement society. Here's one of the changes people voted for - new and expanded benefits for the freeloaders in our society. There's more on the way, so stay tuned.
- Brian, Farmington

I see two problems here...

Income and sales are down, so the State which relies on these for tax revenue is looking for cuts.
But NH Constitution Part First Article 28-a does not allow for the State to mandate expenditures by local political subdivisions without their consent.

Its not likely the State will see further tax revenues from its income and sales taxes until such time as the economy rebounds and the assistance is no longer necessary.
So it seems up to the local policital subdivisions to take another look at what programs and expenditures they have consented to.
- John Edward Mercier, Belmont

Marylyn in Mont Vernon says: "To all the good, hardworking Christians out there and the other's who hate the idea that some of their hard earned income might go to help the poor, there but for the grace of God or your employer, go YOU!"

I give to charity because I want to, of MY OWN FREE WILL.

I don't need or want to be coerced to "give" by the government...at gunpoint! And that's what this is!
- Mike R., Bedford

You wanna see your welfare tab go down? Urine test every single receipiant and discontinue benefits for people who's urine shows results for illegal street drugs. I guarantee you that you'd see many receipiants off the system if a urine test was manditory in receiving assistance. Then, welfare would be used for what it was intended...to help those in need for a boost back onto their feet. Not what its become and that's a haven for the drug addicted, uneducated, lazy, worthless lumps that suck the resources dry. I have no issue with an honest working person needing an assistance, but nothing burns my *** more to see someone eating better than me because they choose to be lazy, breed numerous kids, and suck the system dry.
- Bill, Manchester

I wonder if instead of paying out welfare, that instead a subsidy for those that work would be effective. We all know that the system is flawed, so why not tweak it a bit. If you have a job making minimum wage, which in all likelihood isn't enough to get by on, you are given a subsidy. Help those who are helping themselves. I realize that right now jobs are harder to come by but if an able bodied person is expected to hold down a job in order to receive assistance (supplemental income), I think you would see very quickly who truly wants to help themselves out of their current situation.
- Kathleen, Chester, NH

i know a family in machester who are on welfar...4 kids and the "fiance" who fathered them lives with them. yesterday, i saw one of the kids riding a brand new dirt bike. must be nice to have taxpayers supporting you, so you can spend money on toys!!
- fpc, bedford

How about people get birth control from their local Planned Parenthood or clinic? I am so sick and tired of seeing teenagers and young adults with 3 or 4 kids at the grocery store paying with WIC and food stamps. Get a job, some birth control, some responsibility, and then have a child.
- Sarah, Manchester

Congrat's to all those who voted for change.

It's happening so stop whinning!

Did you know that those on welfare also get alloted vehicle maintenance money. Yup ... we got to fix their cars too. Feed their families and keep them warm....

How about passing a drug test BEFORE they collect welfare! That would surely drop the states welfare bill by about a quarter!
- Retired, Rochester

To all the good, hardworking Christians out there and the other's who hate the idea that some of their hard earned income might go to help the poor, there but for the grace of God or your employer, go YOU!

These are not normal times. Clear eyed, hardworking people have NO JOBS! If you don't want to give it away, hire someone.
- Marilyn, Mont Vernon

Good thing "Nannies" in Concord got rid of payday loans, the tax revenue, and the jobs that went with it. Now we the tax payers get to pay for this. Maybe I will feel sympathy for these people, when I see them actually use these welfare funds for necessities, not smokes, booze, and fancy cell phones. Jerry, if you really want to help, why not create your own personal income tax and send a weekly check to Claremont or a local non-profit. It is called a charitable donation, where an income tax is nothing but the stealing of my hard earned money.
- Danny, Nashua, NH

I'm sure there are abusers but welfare, food stamps and other state and town services save lives. Previously hardworking people with families cannot find JOBS and are getting desperate. Even if the economy and Wall Street are reported to be improving, we, the people, have lost confidence along with our jobs. Without JOBS that pay a living wage, there is no real improvement.
Our Congress, supported by large corporate donations, has set the minimum wage at $7.25 which is $290.00 for a 40 hour week. The corporate directors make that much a minute but they expect people to live on $290.00 a week. Try to pay rent, buy groceries, pay for child care and clothing, maintain a car or otherwise pay for transportation, etc on $290.00 a week and that $290 is before taxes and social security/Medicare deductions! And I didn’t include health care. The Washington politician and his corporate lobbyist spend more on dinner than the minimum wage earner lives on for a week.
People who may be about to lose their home need to understand that welfare will pay for utilities but not the mortgage. Liens can and will be placed on your home to allow expenditures to be recouped. If you have children, apply for NH Healthy Kids program so at least their basic medical needs can be met.
It is true that towns with fewer apartments and rental units generally spend less on services. It is true that NH senior citizens cannot afford to stay in their family home because property taxes are so high. The best idea on becoming a retirement friendly state would start with allowing people over 60 who own their home and have no dependents in the schools to pay only the state mandated portion of the school tax if it is less than the town’s school rate. In other words, if you meet the senior criteria and live in a donor town, your tax rate would be reduced but if you live in a receiving town, you pay the same rate as the rest of the town. States with an income tax are much more retirement friendly.
If NH had an income tax, people who live in NH and work in MA or ME would pay NH first and deduct that from whatever MA or ME charges. So, I suggest, KEEP IT IN NH and keep our seniors here too.
- Marilyn, Mont Vernon

I'd like to see what the welfare budget is and how much of the money gets to the people and how much is eaten by administration costs. We could then compare it to charities that do the same type of work and see which one is more efficient and gets the most money to the people they are trying to help.

But then thinking people already know the answer. Government is charity with a pension plan attached and conservatives are always number one when it comes to giving to charity year after year. Many of who are the evil religious types who get criticized for being so and pushed out of government and schools for their evil ways.
- Deb, Derry

How about a sales tax so people are taxed on what they buy, not penalized for earning income. I personally do not want to pay income tax on my hard earned income so others who are not working escape it.
- Karen, Keene,NH

"spread the pain equally."

Sorry Jerry, this is America. Equal allocation of resources is defined as Socialism.

Socialism is a great idea, the only flaw is that you eventually run out of people to take money from!
- John, Dover

I feel sorry for the people who have lost their jobs, I really do. But we have to stop expecting others to take care of our problems. People are their own responsibility and it is time to do away with programs that enable. I can understand the need for emergency help, but regular state welfare is a joke. In the least the state should make the ones collecting it work in some form. As it stands they fill out a form and attend a couple employment security lectures and then nothing. The city programs I know are a little different and not like the state, I am not downing these. But we don't have what we don't have. If we stopped allowing people to take from this, and i mean the people capable of working that do not, the long term welfare collectors. Give them a real limit and cut the benefits, then we will have the funding to help the true needy. Again, more state than city on this comment.
- Stacey, Manchetser

Why don't we create a few jobs for some people to go around and do some Welfare checks... crack down on the abusers of the system and free up some of this money! No reason for some of these people to have food stamps but then a wad of cash for cigs and alcohol, or a brand new 2009 car sitting in their driveways, or on and on and on.... It's only going to get worse as the new administration keeps on the track that its headed.. hold on tight!
- Todd, Manchester

I think if we stopped paying for people to go to school, that would save some money. Hold them accountable to get a job in that field within three months of graduating or pay back for the schooling and day care that was paid out. Start using some of the people on welfair or unemployment as our crosswalkers and to help patrol the school areas so that our kids can at least go to school safely.
- Janit, Manchester

Another thing not being addressed here is towns exporting their poor to towns with services.I live in Claremont where the property taxes are the highest in the area.The surrounding towns offer no services so the poor are told to come to Claremont,which shifts the entire costs of help on us.We have a disproportianate number of mentally ill,newly released prisoners,single mothers,and alcoholics,as well as the jobless,due to the recession.The current tax system does not work in this time of need.The state is cutting funding when social services costs are at the highest point they've ever been.My point is that the property taxes are putting seniors and working poor in jeopardy of losing their own homes.Homes that are paid for and have been owned for years.It is time New Hampshire moved toward an income tax to spread the pain equally.The alternative is bankrupted cities with social services and displaced seniors.
- Jerry, Claremont


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