Welfare in Maine (Brunswick, Falmouth, Bingham: health insurance, income, taxes)

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

ok, I'm confused....she would be eligible for Mainecare, because she has a child and is going to school, making it unlikely that she's making enough to pull her out of that bracket. She's living at home, so no rent, she's eligible to receive WIC, and should be receiving child support from the Dad....which the State of Maine will pursue....why was she needing help beyond that?

I am not as well versed on details of eligibility but she had what would be considered a "good" job with full time full benifits and a 30k+ income she was 23 did recieve money from the dad. But the reality was it still wasn't enough to cover rent (in the place she was living in), gas, day care, ect. Its hard when your alone. She had to move back home where her parents were willing to help out and she could keep her job.

My point was basically here was someone that needed little extra help but on paper no one would feel sorry for her. To me I would much rather give her some assistance then most of the people I have dealt with that have one kid after another by different fathers...will never work a real job..and do not care about what kind of life their giving their child(ren).

There was article last year here in the "twin city times" that broke down all benifits availabe to a single mother of 2 living here in the L/A area. It showed when taking everything into account she recieved benifits that was equivlent to making 55k a year.

[Maine Writer]

I have a relative who has been on food stamps and MaineCare almost 14 years. She works mostly under the table. It's hard not to rant about it. I mailed a $1413 check to EMMC yesterday to pay off the balance of a procedure I had in October. That's after my insurance paid its part. It was a necessary procedure for me. She had the same thing done for convenience. The tax payers paid her bill. When I told her how many thousands of dollars this cost she said, "I'm glad I don't pay for any of that stuff." Some days.......

A neighbor had a pretty good scam going. I can and do avoid her because it's easier to keep my mouth shut if I don't hear what she's pulling off. She knows what I think. That's good enough.

[mollysmiles]

Originally Posted by flycessna

I am not as well versed on details of eligibility but she had what would be considered a "good" job with full time full benifits and a 30k+ income she was 23 did recieve money from the dad. But the reality was it still wasn't enough to cover rent (in the place she was living in), gas, day care, ect. Its hard when your alone. She had to move back home where her parents were willing to help out and she could keep her job.

My point was basically here was someone that needed little extra help but on paper no one would feel sorry for her. To me I would much rather give her some assistance then most of the people I have dealt with that have one kid after another by different fathers...will never work a real job..and do not care about what kind of life their giving their child(ren).

There was article last year here in the "twin city times" that broke down all benifits availabe to a single mother of 2 living here in the L/A area. It showed when taking everything into account she recieved benifits that was equivlent to making 55k a year.

I understand....when you said young I automatically assumed that she was a teen! Sorry about that

I have seen exactly what you're talking about...and that's what I meant by those strict income eligibilities I mentioned too....I've had families that I worked with that were "stuck between the lines". There's not enough there to make a living, and too much there to be eligible for that boost that would make all the difference. And personally, when I became a single parent, I spent a lot of time in that "space" while looking for a better job. It's stressful and it can really get a person down--which is a danger as well. I tend to be a glass half full person, but someone who isn't, who is doing their very best but struggling can really land in a depression. Depressed parents have depressed children....well....you see what I'm getting at--ultimately it can destroy relationships--and in the end? it costs society MORE because of the problems that develop. (ok, I know I'm preaching to the choir here--I'll stop!)

I wish I knew the answers. If I had them I'd still be doing the job in social services I used to, and not the part-time one I do now....believe me, the burn out rate can be high!

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

The big difference in spending comes from the tanks, trucks, planes and stuff that we buy and destroy. We consume stuff more when at war. So it costs more.

But that extra money is money spent in Limestone Maine, and Bath Maine, and Groton Ct, and every other small manufacturer scattered all over the US.

Very good point Forest! Up here in Limestone (actually on the old Loring AFB) we have the "Rebuild Center" where they rebuild Hummers, Troop carriers, even some Heavy Equipment. They employee local people and contrary to popular belief they have to bid on the repair work before they are awarded any contracts, they are not automatically handed repair contracts. I have many friends who work out there and can tell you, a lot of that money is flowing right back into our local economies through these people. New cars, trucks, houses, motorcycles, are the big things, but they all also have groceries, gas, insurances, hospital bills, home repairs, and everything else you can think of that is a normal expense.

Where does this tie into the original topic you ask? Good question, heres the answer. About half the people I know who are working out there had to have assistance to meet bills before they were hired. Either WIC, or some other program. Now, NONE of them are getting any assistance and are living not "well" but they are not worried about putting food on their tables, boots and coats on their kids for the winter, or having enough gas to get to a minimum wage job that didn't pay their bills. These people used the assistance the way it was intended, as a bridge to get them on firm footing and back on their own productive way. There are always exceptions and the "welfare Queens & Kings" will always be around and trying to get more for less, no matter where you live.

[mollysmiles]

Bydand, I agree, that is a problem, and we all probably suspect or know someone who is defrauding the system. Those people are committing fraud, and they can be reported. If prosecuted they may go to jail or receive a suspended sentence, but they will be required to repay the state, and will NEVER be eligible for benefits again. But here's why most people don't report....what happens to the kids then?

The system isn't perfect by any means, but it does help MOST people. The hardest part is getting help to those who are falling between the cracks, and getting those who commit fraud out.

[forest beekeeper]

In the apartment complex that we stayed in our first winter in Maine, a lady in one apartment, had a child of five/six with learning disabilities. The lady goes to school to become a social worker.

She lived entirely on state aid.

She already had a couple years of early childhood ed behind her, before moving to Maine. Now filing in this state she is going for social work.

While we lived there she went through two boyfriends. I spoke with her many times about her daughter [as we had just stepped out of being a foster family] and the issues that she was having with her daughter. I got the idea that was was wanting to have more children. In this method either she could get a job working in social work to learn more of the methods of how it is played. Or else she could stay on aid by having more disabled babies.

[flycessna]

=mollysmiles;2181272I understand....when you said young I automatically assumed that she was a teen! Sorry about that

No problem...I never really specified She was actually a tenant of mine who was very responsible and was really trying to make the best of a difficult situation.

I have seen exactly what you're talking about...and that's what I meant by those strict income eligibilities I mentioned too....I've had families that I worked with that were "stuck between the lines". There's not enough there to make a living, and too much there to be eligible for that boost that would make all the difference. And personally, when I became a single parent, I spent a lot of time in that "space" while looking for a better job. It's stressful and it can really get a person down--which is a danger as well. I tend to be a glass half full person, but someone who isn't, who is doing their very best but struggling can really land in a depression. Depressed parents have depressed children....well....you see what I'm getting at--ultimately it can destroy relationships--and in the end? it costs society MORE because of the problems that develop. (ok, I know I'm preaching to the choir here--I'll stop!)

I wish I knew the answers. If I had them I'd still be doing the job in social services I used to, and not the part-time one I do now....believe me, the burn out rate can be high!

I do too....what can you do....you can't take every child away from a parent because they shouldn't have had one, or you can't make people stop having children, and you cannot let a child suffer because of lowsy parents. For me it's about the kids.

I propose welfare loans...let them be interst free and paid out just like they are but let people know....at some point it has to paid back! Boy that would cause some problems.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

When you have 100,000 troops in uniform, you pay them almost the same salary if they are marching in circles at Fort Failure in Oklahoma, or if they are patrolling the streets of some foreign land.

Hey, hey, hey, you watch your mouth there swabbie. There's only one Fort in OK, and I called it home for the better part of a year. At least we greenies were smart enough to pick a branch where we could walk home if our ride got shot out from under us.

[crb01]

With all this talk of welfare abuse and the recent posts about Maine becoming 2 seperate states, I have to wonder if maybe we should seperate. Taxes for the folks in the southern 1/3 would be reduced significantly and the northern 2/3 would run out of welfare money, thereby forcing people to get a job. Just a thought.

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Zymer

Hey, hey, hey, you watch your mouth there swabbie. There's only one Fort in OK, and I called it home for the better part of a year. At least we greenies were smart enough to pick a branch where we could walk home if our ride got shot out from under us.

Yeah my son was at Fort Sill, nice place so long as you dont mind ducking underneath the low flying mortar fire