north minneapolis (Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Champlin: where to stay, foreclosure, rental)

[MRNorthSide]

I feel that the map is very straightforward, and am curious as to what you find unclear. What it means to me, is that there are MN welfare recipients spending ~$3K in Hawaii, and I feel that is unjust.

[Veridian]

Originally Posted by MRNorthSide

I feel that the map is very straightforward, and am curious as to what you find unclear. What it MEANS to me, is that there are MN welfare recipients spending ~$3K in Hawaii. Thats BS.

Does the map show you if those transactions were via mail-order or the internet?

Should welfare money only be spent in the state in which the welfare recipient lives? Is this a problem with Minnesota's welfare system, or is it standard that welfare recipients can spend benefits in whatever state they see fit?

Honestly, I don't care that some Minnesota welfare money is spent elsewhere. Other states' welfare money might be spent here. I'm not seeing the problem.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Yeah you're right it is .5% or half of 1%. I'm not saying these this isn't something that should be addressed, just that it isn't as out of control of a problem that some people make it out to be.

It probably wouldn't be difficult to pass legislation to only allow MN Welfare/EBT money to be used within the state of Minnesota, although enforcing this could be a bit more tricky.

[Veridian]

And for more (highly opinionated) analysis of this map:

Across the Great Divide: War on Welfare Fraud? Auditing Charges on the Wrong Card.

[MRNorthSide]

[SIZE=3]I was under the impression that you could not purchase things online/mail order using an EBT card… Does anyone have firsthand experience? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Yes, I think that welfare money should only be spent in the state in which the recipient lives. Maybe some of these out of state spenders ARE spending in the state in which they “live”. Hmm…[/SIZE]

[Veridian]

Originally Posted by MRNorthSide

[SIZE=3]I was under the impression that you could not purchase things online/mail order using an EBT card… Does anyone have firsthand experience? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Yes, I think that welfare money should only be spent in the state in which the recipient lives. Maybe some of these out of state spenders ARE spending in the state in which they “live”. Hmm…[/SIZE]

So someone on a forum saying they think you can't use online/mail order with an EBT card is an acceptable answer?

[MRNorthSide]

I said "Does anyone have any firsthand experience?". So what are you talking about? I look forward to your response in the morning.

[Veridian]

Originally Posted by MRNorthSide

I said "Does anyone have any firsthand experience?". So what are you talking about? I look forward to your response in the morning.

I'm not sure what sort of response you're looking for, because I'm not following your train of thought...from your quote above, the respondent did not indicate they had first-hand experience, but that they think something is a certain way. Then you appeared to present that as evidence...

I fully admit that I just may not be following your point all that well, but I have been going over the past page trying to parse it out.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

As far as first hand experience goes, I highly doubt many people on welfare are also members on the city data forum. I guess I could be wrong though.

[Camden Northsider]

Seriously everyone - although there are obviously always going to be a few that try and take advantage of the system, this can only last for a short period of time in MN and most of these expenses can be summed up by travel. Persons that are or become welfare recipients in MN that aren't originally from here are just like everyone else - they come to MN for more opportunity and a better quality of life. And, although I don't have any evidence to back this up, it is likely that persons that transplant here from other areas are going to be more likely to need a "helping hand" due to not having as much of a support system in place but I would hesitate from stereotyping this as being the norm (and in this economy, you'd be surprised at how many of your neighbors are receiving govt aid). But, for persons that are originally from another state - their out-state relatives get sick, die, and get married - just like everyone else - and people need to attend to hospital beds, funerals, weddings, etc. just like everyone else ....just because someone is poor or getting some help from the state, should they not be allowed to leave the state or spend any money outside of MN? The amounts listed really are not all that significant when you look at the tax base in full (you could find a lot more things to get up in arms about) - and to put things in perspective a little bit, those out-of-state purchases are a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of money that legal MN immigrant WORKERS (non welfare recipients) send outside of the country to their families back home every year (I'm not making a statement by this, just showing that it's not that big of a figure). And, it is important to note that there are MANY, MANY, welfare recipients that work full-time (if not more) jobs to support their families (I do not have the statistics off-hand, but it is a large chunk of the overall percentage), they just don't make the wages needed to live and raise a family in this state - so many of these out-state purchases are not just made by all of these imagined unemployed folks out taking grand tours of the US.

I can assure everyone that, unless a person has a very well-documented disability that prevents them from being able to work (in which they have to jump through a lot of hoops to get on and then still have to communicate with govt workers), you have to do a lot of hoop-jumping to receive any type of cash/ food stamps in MN (and the rest of the country) as a means to ensure accountability from welfare recipients. It would be impossible to reside in another state for longer than a month or so and still receive benefits, and people don't go and pick up checks, they're put in the mail or deposited on EBT cards. And all MFIP/ welfare recipients are mandated to meet with and communicate with an employment counselor on an ongoing basis throughout the month which includes turning in job search/ school attendance verification, work verification and pay stubs, etc. - if welfare program participants do not do this satisfactorily and in accordance with the very strict laws governing the program, then their monies get cut off. The agencies that employ the employment counselors are constantly being monitored by county/ state staff to ensure compliance with statutes so there is very little room to take advantage of the system anywhere. Hennepin County and MN's MFIP (MN Family Investment Program) program has been noted as being one of the most effective and cost-efficient in the country - there are many other states trying to achieve what we have here.