I think to put gas in the car, etc., a JOB would take care of all that.

i looked it up,its just like a credit card,you can buy gas and food so >>>>

why is there Any reason to give Any cash out ?

what am i missing here....if you need to pay for something-swipe the card,walk away
just take away any option to get cash period.

makes me warm n tingly too to hear how my taxes are being spent in a casino...while i work my azz off.

California welfare recipients withdrew $1.8 million at casino ATMs over eight months

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issues an executive order requiring recipients to promise they will use cash benefits only to meet basic subsistence needs. GOP legislators call for the cash to be returned.
Gambling


The Chumash resort in Santa Ynez is one of the 32 tribal casinos in California with ATMs that accept welfare recipients' debit cards. (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times / August 24, 2003)
By Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times

June 25, 2010

California welfare recipients using state-issued debit cards withdrew more than $1.8 million in taxpayer cash on casino floors between October 2009 and last month, state officials said Thursday.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an executive order requiring welfare recipients to promise they will use cash benefits only to "meet the basic subsistence needs" of their families. The order also gave the state Department of Social Services seven days to produce a plan to reduce other types of "waste, fraud and abuse" in the welfare program.

The moves came after The Times reported Wednesday that officials at the department failed to notice for years that welfare recipients could use the state-issued cards to withdraw taxpayer cash at more than half of the tribal casinos and state-licensed poker rooms in California. The state initiated the debit card program in 2002.

Casino withdrawals, which represented far less than 1% of total welfare spending during the eight months for which the department released data, averaged just over $227,392 a month.

Schwarzenegger has already ordered the vendor that runs the state welfare system's ATM network to prohibit the cards from working at casino machines. Republican lawmakers are now calling on the administration to track down the people who withdrew cash at gaming centers and recover the money.

"I'd say that $227,000 per month is an astounding waste of taxpayer dollars," said Seth Unger, spokesman for Assembly Republican Leader Martin Garrick of Solana Beach. "To me it is absolutely clear that the department failed in its duty to provide oversight. We should explore all options to get the money back."

The electronic benefit transfer cards allow welfare recipients to access two accounts: cash offered through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and an electronic version of food stamps, which comes with strict rules governing how the money can be spent.

The cash benefits, however, can be withdrawn and spent just about anywhere. A Times review of state records found that the cards work at ATMs in 32 of 58 tribal casinos and 47 of 90 state-licensed poker rooms.

Most of the ATMs impose a withdrawal limit of about $300 a day. The monthly cash grant for a family of three ranges up to $694, while families with more than 10 people can get as much as $1,469, documents from the Social Services Department show.

Some Assembly Republicans called Thursday for assurances that welfare recipients can't access ATMs at other "seedy" businesses. "If they're going to shut down … the casinos, why not also shut down the ATMs at liquor stores and bars?" Unger asked.

Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said the point of the executive order was to force the department to examine the program for all manner of abuse, but did not specify any other kinds of businesses that might be weeded out of the network. "We're going to eliminate any waste, fraud and abuse that makes sense to eliminate," he said.

Democrats, who have been fighting to preserve the state's fraying social safety net in the face of a $19-billion budget gap, angrily rejected a Schwarzenegger proposal last month to eliminate the cash portion of welfare.

That was before anyone in Sacramento realized the money could be withdrawn by someone strolling from a poker game to a blackjack table.

Democratic leaders steered away from specifics while discussing calls for reform.

"We will conduct timely legislative oversight," said Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento). "We want to make sure all families are spending the money on the children it's intended to serve."

jack.dolan@latimes.com

Do people realize how little money they get anyway?

If they can thrift enough money to treat themselves to a trip to the casino, so what?

Instead of looking at them as humans who do need to "get out" once in a while like all humans do, we have people "hatemongerers" who want to torture the poor people even more than they already are.

It is sick and sad for humans to act like this about other humans.

Yeah not enough to really get anything they need done in a month but enough collectively to handle many issues through housing and medical. Why should someone that's not disabled living off federal money be allowed to "get out".....if they want to get out they should work to get out..........and they probably couldn't get out on their own money either....I do not feel sorry for cash collectors unless they have a disability and are fighting with SSI, Title II or OASDI.

Yeah not enough to really get anything they need done in a month but enough collectively to handle many issues through housing and medical. Why should someone that's not disabled living off federal money be allowed to "get out".....if they want to get out they should work to get out..........and they probably couldn't get out on their own money either....I do not feel sorry for cash collectors unless they have a disability and are fighting with SSI, Title II or OASDI.

Okay I feel it is bullcrap is that better?

I don't know a whole lot about how this system is set up. I do know of one who gets 'welfare' right now and with her 2 children I know she receives 799.00 per month in cash. Her rent alone is 600,00 so I don't know how people think those who receive this are living so well. I've known her for 10 years and she always worked, received her child support and did ok...wasn't living in the lap of luxury by any means.

I do know that she struggles and would much rather be back to work (she lost her job 8 months ago) and receiving her child support. When her ex lost his job he stopped the child support.

She never has any money to play, go out or do anything but take care of her children. If she was able to find a way to take a weekend and go to a casino I wouldn't have any problem with it. She could use a break.

Yes a bit.....I still believe no cash should be given and cash that is given from the goverment should not be able to be used on things that classically have addictive personality basis, especially, when many of them receiving Welfare and we are not talking in limbo type people.....we are talking longterm just work enough to keep getting it and quit because they do not wish to work people. Many of them are being treated for addictions in mental health and metal health issues...why propel it and allow cash to be given instead of giving services, materials etc. over cash?? What is wrong with that? If I cannot afford to gamble and go out why should people on welfare be allowed? Of course, I can go out, always being asked out all the time....but if I was spending my money, letting my butt get big eating cheetos on the couch because I am too lazy to work, would a guy wish to take me out?? Probably not.......no matter what you want in life you gotta work for it or have a plan on how to attain it.

But with housing and medical institutted, and utilities taken care of she could survive without cash.....I was stating taking cash away instituting housing utilities and food and creating a larger margin for more people to have medical in US. Collectively cash/welfare could be enough to institute that happening.........no check no rent of 600.00, and no utilities medical and food handled. What she worked for would or should be able to handle all else.....from gas to movies etc.

But with housing and medical institutted, and utilities taken care of she could survive without cash.....I was stating taking cash away instituting housing utilities and food and creating a larger margin for more people to have medical in US. Collectively cash/welfare could be enough to institute that happening.........no check no rent of 600.00, and no utilities medical and food handled. What she worked for would or should be able to handle all else.....from gas to movies etc.