[CTartist]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Bad idea. A $3200 community college boost would be far more palatable.

A thousand thumbs up.

Isn't community college in CT free already? It looks like it is free.
https://www.ct.edu/pact

Great so we already have what this subject is about.

Govenor Malloy....can we give the $3200 back to the middleclass taxpayers, thanks.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Free, means tested college tuition? Good idea. Just sending someone a check? Bad idea.

As much as it pains me to echo conservative talking points, let me just say that I collected SSI in college since I'm legally blind.

I used my monthly check to buy beer, Long Island Iced Teas, rum and cokes, Camel Lights, pizza, suicide wings, calzones, concert tickets, and CD's. (Compact discs, not certificates of deposit). The rest of it I just threw down the drain.

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Bad idea.

Originally Posted by ryanthegoldengod

Bad idea.

Hey, you guys voted for it

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by CTartist

Govenor Malloy....can we give the $3200 back to the middleclass taxpayers, thanks.

Keep dreamin’, you voted for it

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

Hey, you guys voted for it

bingo.

They were too busy singing Officer Krupke to be rational.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by ryanthegoldengod

Free, means tested college tuition? Good idea. Just sending someone a check? Bad idea.

Bingo; I liked the Tn Lottery scholarship idea. 2 years free community college funding levels, minimum GPA requirements, max family income.

Key: Conditional on recipients' behavior also-G.P.A.

I'd be all for Ct utilizing the same style program.

As for expensive means tested college tuition, add in fields with a high quantity of local jobs long-term relative to supply, I'd be for it. Not for someones dream major with an always abysmal ratio of available jobs vs available supply.

[norcal2k19]

Originally Posted by parentologist

Well, it looks as if this program is going to finally start. It makes me just furious, that the state overtaxes those who pay income tax, to the point where there is a huge "rainy day" fund (when the real rainy day fund is the taxpayers), and even beyond that, more money than the state knows what to do with, and then winds up giving money to those who already are on the receiving end of taxpayers' money, often fraudulently. The degree of fraud in enrollment in the Medicaid program is incredible, not to mention that since assets are not taken into account, only reported income, and the threshold for qualifying is lowest for pregnant women, basically any pregnant woman who is not well-covered by private insurance is on Medicaid, no matter how much they have in assets. Approximately half of children born in CT are born onto Medicaid, including those whose mother is here illegally - are half the children in CT born into families actually living in poverty?

Then there is how the money can be used. Funds can be used to pay for education, buy a home, save for retirement, or START OR INVEST IN A BUSINESS. First of all, Pell grants already cover the cost of community college education for all low income students. Most low income students who go for education beyond that receive a full financial aid package. But the real kicker is the "start or invest in a business" option. Based upon the number of fake businesses that sprang up to fraudulently qualify for pandemic relief money, this is where the money will go, to fake businesses that never did or will earn anything - the money will be diverted, as much of cash welfare benefits already are, and even SNAP benefits. The diverted money usually winds up being spent on illegal drugs and alcohol.

So now, not only can people choose to live a life never working on the books, never paying taxes, on Medicaid, SNAP, Sec 8, energy assistance, free phone and service, etc, but each child they have receives up to $3200 invested for them at birth, hopefully grown to an estimated more than 20K, claimable at age 18 for their fake lawn care or in-home hair care business. And the actual effectiveness of the program at reducing poverty can never be measured, since there is no true baseline to measure being born into poverty, since so many of the children born onto Medicaid are not actually born into poverty!

I must be one of the few on CT's CD that's actually for the program (and I pay a ton of taxes as a single high income earner barely using services fwiw). The money is locked until the kid is 18 and the money must be reinvested in Connecticut. Also, it's going to be tough for someone to remain eligible all 18 years so you'll see a sliding scale here from $3200 to $24000 in estimated value.

I like to think of this as starting capital that will help give a hand up instead of a hand out. Also, the way this program is structured under the new state Treasurer saves the state a ton of money in interest compared to the original proposal so it's definitely more fiscally sound than originally proposed.

[simonusa3]

Originally Posted by parentologist

Well, it looks as if this program is going to finally start. It makes me just furious, that the state overtaxes those who pay income tax, to the point where there is a huge "rainy day" fund (when the real rainy day fund is the taxpayers), and even beyond that, more money than the state knows what to do with, and then winds up giving money to those who already are on the receiving end of taxpayers' money, often fraudulently. The degree of fraud in enrollment in the Medicaid program is incredible, not to mention that since assets are not taken into account, only reported income, and the threshold for qualifying is lowest for pregnant women, basically any pregnant woman who is not well-covered by private insurance is on Medicaid, no matter how much they have in assets. Approximately half of children born in CT are born onto Medicaid, including those whose mother is here illegally - are half the children in CT born into families actually living in poverty?

Then there is how the money can be used. Funds can be used to pay for education, buy a home, save for retirement, or START OR INVEST IN A BUSINESS. First of all, Pell grants already cover the cost of community college education for all low income students. Most low income students who go for education beyond that receive a full financial aid package. But the real kicker is the "start or invest in a business" option. Based upon the number of fake businesses that sprang up to fraudulently qualify for pandemic relief money, this is where the money will go, to fake businesses that never did or will earn anything - the money will be diverted, as much of cash welfare benefits already are, and even SNAP benefits. The diverted money usually winds up being spent on illegal drugs and alcohol.

So now, not only can people choose to live a life never working on the books, never paying taxes, on Medicaid, SNAP, Sec 8, energy assistance, free phone and service, etc, but each child they have receives up to $3200 invested for them at birth, hopefully grown to an estimated more than 20K, claimable at age 18 for their fake lawn care or in-home hair care business. And the actual effectiveness of the program at reducing poverty can never be measured, since there is no true baseline to measure being born into poverty, since so many of the children born onto Medicaid are not actually born into poverty!

I'm sure there is fraud in everything, but there is one thing I must say:

I have a nephew who works in a large grocery store. According to them, about one -third of all the people they see using SNAP are elderly, not young people. They also commented that a lot of the people they see using SNAP look like they really need it, they don't buy the extras or expensive stuff (like fresh meat, snacks...etc), they buy generic brand basic necessities. Also, SNAP ONLY covers food items, no paper products, soaps, cleaners, pet food, ...etc are covered.

[CTlibrarian]

Isn't community college in CT free already? It looks like it is free.
https://www.ct.edu/pact

Yes, community college is free to all first-time college students, regardless of income. Students must be enrolled full time towards a degree or certificate and must remain in good academic standing.

[Ghaati]

Better $3,200 credit toward trade school or first-time business funding following High School graduation and one semester's internship in their field of interest.