AUGUSTA, Maine — Mainers on food assistance will get fewer benefits in coming months to make up for overpayments by the Department of Health and Human Services over several months last year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees and pays for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, has told DHHS it can make exceptions for recipients who would suffer from a benefit cut, according to a March 30 letter to DHHS from the U.S. Department of Agriculture obtained by the Bangor Daily News.
Between April and August 2011, the program paid about a third of the program’s beneficiaries, or 53,000 households, roughly $4 million more than federal regulations allowed, according to DHHS officials.
The letter to DHHS from Bonnie Brathwaite, SNAP program director in the Northeast, put the amount at $4,861,920.
Recipients will have to pay back from $20 to $80 per household in benefits, according to DHHS. That repayment will be made through smaller benefit distributions in coming months.
The overpayments went out after the federal government decided to cut back the portion of benefits that helps recipients pay their utility bills. The USDA had temporarily boosted those benefits as oil prices rose to record levels last year.
Maine law prevented DHHS, which administers the program, from reducing benefits until a formal rule change in the program was made, said John Martins, a spokesman for DHHS. That took place in August, four months after the cut should have kicked in.
The department also was waiting for the feds to say whether Maine would have to recoup the money, he said.
“We could have been more proficient and efficient in getting the rules passed,” Martins said.
Now the USDA wants the funds back. The agency learned of the overpayments in November 2011 and notified DHHS in the March 30 letter that it would have to recollect benefits.
Brathwaite encouraged the state to consider repayments case by case and gave DHHS the green light to waive or lower repayments for recipients who would suffer hardship or were unlikely to return benefits within three years based on their economic circumstances.
DHHS is looking into further adjusting the program’s rules to avoid winding up in a similar situation in the future, Martins said.
“For most people, anything that’s considered to be a reduction in benefits is alarming,” he said. At the same time, recipients weren’t entitled to the benefits, Martins said.
DHHS sent letters to the affected recipients this month. The money will be deducted from their benefits in small amounts each month until the full amount is paid back, he said.
Benefits then will return to their regular levels, Martins said.
Ethelyn Ellis, 85, of Glenburn said she received a letter on Wednesday informing her that the state would recollect $80 of her benefits. Her budget can withstand the hit, but the state should bear the brunt of its own mistake, she said.
“I’m not going to starve to death, but they made the error. Why should I have to pay the money back?” Ellis said.
Overpayments made to former recipients who no longer receive food assistance will not be recovered, except in cases that closed after March 31, 2011, Martins said. “Individual arrangements” would be made in those cases, he said.
Officials can recollect the benefits in a number of ways under the food assistance program’s rules, including recouping the money from any other federal benefits an individual receives, such as Supplemental Security Income, said Christine Hastedt, public policy director for Maine Equal Justice Partners, which advocates for the poor.
DHHS was put between a rock and a hard place trying to play by federal rules in the face of conflicting state law, Hastedt said.
“We don’t want our clients to have to bear the result of that disagreement,” she said.
DHHS officials were scheduled to speak Thursday with officials from the USDA in hopes of lessening the impact on recipients, Martins said.
This less benefits idea needs to stick and not just end after a few months.
Well, sure. Of course, less for all is totally better. But the rub here is that Food Supplement is run by the Feds, so if you want the amounts to change, you need to lobby Washington, DC for that.
and unfortunately since Maine is so giving (think how much easier it is for people to get free healthcare…Mainecare…here than they could in other states), we will get more than our fair share of people moving here who, in many cases, are more than happy to milk the system for all they can.
Read the article again. It’s gonoa ‘stick’ alright and beneficiaies are the ones being stuck
– yet again.
Because DHHS didn’t have it’s act together, the initial cuts were simply not large enough.
Prior reductions had previously been implemented by at least half of what was proposed.
This reclamation is ‘the other half’ – for those four months only.
That is what is meant by ‘regular’ ie what it was supposed to be, originally.
In actuality it just translates as a more gradual, yet still significant, ultimate, and final (for now) reduction.
Happy now?
Betcha can’t stand the thought of the poor having food to eat.
If you want them to have food, give them yours.
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Stop playing Class Warfare. They are poor because they refuse to handle their own situation. Just because they can manage their money and responsibility so they need all of us to be their keepers. Mainers are broke they are struggling. They are broke because Democrats had awful policies on the economy here in Maine. As was proven in article with Cynthia Dill the Dem Nominee for U.S. Senate. She is going around as being the job creator here in Maine LOL RIGHT. She only created 4 jobs total with the rest being jobs that were temporary at best. While doing everything to destroy jobs. The Dems lost tens to hundreds of thousands of jobs in just in the last 16 years of running the ship in Augusta. While only gaining 56 total to replace them, while racking up masive debts from the state budget and massive debts from borrowing. It’s time for the Democrats to come clean and start admitting they were awful at running Augusta and stop listening to the Far Left Wing and Environmentalists who control the party. Start listening to us working citizens of Maine on what we want.
How many “poor” people complain about being poor but will buy cigarettes at $5/pack? Let me guess, that doesn’t happen, right? I await the “culture of being poor” argument which is akin to saying “they don’t know any better.”
zzzzzzz
Abby, if you want to be selfish and mean, move into the Blaine House.
It’s pretty obviously apparent that you feel no need to assist your neighbors.How sad.I’ve traveled all over the country and nowhere else have I seen the collection cans in stores,community suppers and other evidence of generosity of time,money and spirit-often from people who are short of the first two.They are the truly blessed and the best of Maine.I’m sure if you needed help,they would be there-even if you won’t return or pay forward the gift.
Wow! You just started a major debate. Lol
Note: This comment was made in reply to Bonny_in_MS. And, BTW, I agree.
“Oh.. will a check be ok?… or can I pay you with my ‘food stamps concealed as a credit card’?
huh, just as food prices are about to go ballistic because of the massive droughts out west…
nice.
The LePage administration is always, it seems, behind the 8 ball, due to its own improper planning.
Everything is LePage’s fault. Ya right. Get a clue
Who do you think is running the show?
Obama
If that’s true, we’re screwed!
Who do you think made the law that would not let DHHS lower the benefits without a new rule change? Doesn’t sound like a LePage law to me. Sounds like one more thing you liberals screwed up.
So years and years of democratic rule has done nothing to put us behind the 8 ball? Good to know.
I may be wrong, I have been before, but isn’t it time for a change in DHHS? There seems to be more and more “mistakes” made by this group of people.
and the inevitable response to each of their mistakes is to cut another inch off of some poor person’s lifeline.
Don’t like it, then demand DHHS change and become responsible for their mistakes!
How did DHHS make a mistake here?
DHHS can’t seem to do anything right can they? Even if it is just a few dollars taken out of a recipients monthly amount, it will hurt them in not being able to have those dollars to buy more food.
Notice how they never make mistakes with their own paychecks?
their benefits are reduced and that is alarming to some! Hummm, bet they werent “ALARMED” and jumped right on the phone to tell DHHS they were overpaid….. I am so sick of watching my hard earned money being taken out of my paycheck week after week after week……..For those who can work PLEASE do and for those who cant good luck.
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Not all people who receive assistance aren’t working.
Some folks need some temporary help due to illness/injury. People on here are so mean spirited. I’ve worked my butt off since I was 15 years old and in recent months I’ve been very ill and needed some assistance, especially with healthcare. My intention is to return to work when better, but how can people say that “Everyone” abuses the system etc. Shame on you folks for the way you talk about people.
Wouldn’t you prefer that slackers and fraud be cut out so there would be more resources available for you and others like you? Or do you want the waste and fraud left in so you don’t have the help you say you need?
Demanding accountability isn’t being mean, it’s being responsible!
she didn’t say they were, she said –
“For those who can work PLEASE do and for those who cant good luck.””
and I agree with her, I know some people work and need a little help making ends meet, no problem with that really, it’s the ones that feel entitled and choose not to work that aggravate me, and yes they are out there.
I have seen the food program misused a number of times and just wince; but I have to tell you, many people use it responsibly and they need that extra boost, especially people who are very ill and cannot work and the elderly. Remember, unless you are practically dying, Social Security disabiity takes about two years to get going. What are these families who are being honest supposed to do? Many have cut back as far as they can.
People who get the assistance don’t know how much they are suppose to get until they get a letter from Dhs saying they are eligible for so much. The error was on dhs part telling people they were gonna get x amount but the amount was wrong!
Don’t be ridiculous. That’s not what happened -at all.
DHHS is the agency charged with notifying recipients of proposed changes in the programs they administer.
I know it does fit with your preconcieved notion of rampant abuse and fraud, however, you’re pretending as though it’s the recipient’s respnsibility to know what the changes are even before the administrators have applied them!
Get a life.
It’s entirely possible that they didn’t know they were being overpaid until they got the notice!!! Did you ever think of that?
i love how when its the states error the recipients are left to suffer the consequences.
Exactly!
If someone is overpaid, they are overpaid, and they need to pay it back. Those are the Federal level rules.
Congress is overpaid by far.
Well. That is completely irrelevant, even if I agree.
If the bank puts an additional 100 K in my bank account by accident. I don’t suffer the consequences when I bring it to their attention.
If I spend it I then suffer my own consequences for spending money not beloning to me.
If the bank puts an extra $100K in your account, you can tell immediately that it’s an error, as you know how much should be there.
If a food stamp recipient receives a letter stating they will get $150 this month on there EBT card, and they get that amout they figure they can use it because that’s what they were eligible for. It was later that DHHS sent letters saying they were never supposed to get $150 a month for those 4 months, but they were supposed to have gotten only $130, so you need to pay it back. These people received the exact amount their monthly letters from DHHS said they should have. How do you know something is in error, when you have a letter stating you will get the amount you have actually gotten?
“when it’s the state’s error, the TAXPAYERS are left to suffer the consequences”
there, fixed that for ya…
but when you are dealing with some people who are just so used to getting everything for free, taking back even $80 to them will seem like you have stolen their “hard earned” government handout.
I suspect the people receiving those benefits who are actually out there working would have less issue with having the $80 withheld than those people who do nothing (yes, they do exist out there).
what a bunch of clowns at DHHS
I went online and checked for a friend of mine that got a letter. No where, within 60 days of the alleged overpayment was there an indication of overpayment in the transaction history. I Believe this is a Lie perpetuated by the State. Everyone should go online and double check their transactions and then confront your worker with a print out. https://www.pinetreecard.com/meebtclient/
You won’t find any overpayment there, because when the errors occurred,clients got letters to tell them what they would get, then they got that amount. It is not like they were told they would get $100 and then got $150, so “aha, look at that overpayment there.” This error was that the amount sent out on letters and then put on EBT was incorrect, based on the client getting more of a “Full Utility Standard” credit than Maine was allowed to give. This higher “credit” for utilites, made them eligible for more than they actually were eligible for. The amount of overpayment is pretty minimal, when you consider the average being between $20 and $80 per household over a 5 month period. That averages out to between $4 and $16 per month, per household.
So your theory does not apply.
$20 a month for 4 months equals $80.
Before April 2011 benefits had already been reduced by similar amounts because the price of oil went down slightly. DHHS just didn’t know how it would ultimately affect Mainers – only that it would.
Since then, during the budget debate Maincare recipients were required to pay double co-pay amounts for prescriptions. Where are the offsets for those?
Next year, maybe.
Will the Maine DHHS ever get their act together? The public is funding them to administer social benefits programs in accordance with Federal and State rules, and they are making too many mistakes.
The one thing that should be noted is that clients are not going to be expected to write a check for the $20 to $80, unless they are no longer getting benefits.
If they are, it will come out of their current benefits, at 10% of their total. So if someone gets $200 in Food Sup and owes $20 due to this error, they will have exactly one month garnished to pay this back.
Secondly, this error was made in Augusta, not at the local levels, since the Food Supplement program manager makes the changes to the full standard of needs, based on what FNS in Boston gives them for info and guidelines.
Life is already tough for the poor. Being poor is a tough life to live.
In most cases life if what you make it.
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I believe Mr. Ron White said “their aint no cure for stupid”.
Bad choices have repercussions.
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We can only hope he isn’t your idol because there ain’t no cure for poor spelling and lousy grammar,either.
thank you professor.
Clearly “there” ain’t no cure for stupid. Get a life and learn some grammar while you’re at it.
Your right about bad choices. I made the bad choice of working hard for 30 years until my back gave out. But that was not enough. I went to WebMd to look at autoimmune disorders and decided to give my self Lupus so I couldn’t work and get food stamps.
Not everyone made a choice to be where they are.
I am sorry for your situation, but I don’t think anyone believes that everybody made the choice to be where they are. There are many who do. I would rather have taxpayer money go to help the elderly, truly disabled and handicapped. It just seems that an awful lot of it goes to people who just are not working nor will they ever (and they are capable of doing so).
I fully agree. The ones that abuse the system makes those of us who really need it look bad
Hence most people in my post. People like you are the ones that need help. Money is being wasted on people abusing the system and making it harder for the people that really need it.
He said, “You can’t fix stupid.”
You think “most” people receiving welfare ie food stamps are ligit and truly need the help. What a “typical” liberal emotional comment. Do you really need statistics or maybe a panel to do a study on what you should be able to see with your own eyes. Even more typical of your type bringing the elderly into the mix, where did that come from???? I seriously doubt if you could find a handful of conservatives that don’t want to help anyone that really needs it, so can we get off that same ole line of bunk.
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Wel said. I worked in the Food stamp program for over 30 years before I retired. the majority of the people receiving food stamps do so because they have a need. Most especially the elderly would rather not need them. I, too, get so sick of people on here judging others. People do not chose to be poor!
Thanks. Enjoy your retirement!
“People do not chose to be poor!”
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I believe there are some people who simply decide that doing NOTHING and living in subsidized housing/food stamps/ebt, etc is better than working. I don’t think they view it as “poor.” They view it as, “I don’t have to work like the REST of you.” Some of them view we lowly working taxpayers as the suckers.
When a 19 year old girl has a baby, gets to sit home and have all provided for her……then she has another and another. What “choice” is she making?
Like most Liberals, you only see what you want to see! Choices have consequences! Used to be most people grew up, got an education and a job, and did what was necessary to be productive members of society. Now Liberals say it’s fine to sit home and collect, so that’s what half the country is now doing – living off those still being productive!
I have a question: Is everyone in Canada living off those who are productive?
So just because Canada does it should we follow their bad examples. This country was built on hard work, honesty, doing things right etc.. Not folks sitting around claiming they are disabled but are ok to go everywhere everyday , chasing mailmen/women for their checks. We need to go back to promoting working, personal responsibility, contribute to society. It’s gotten to the point you have folks from 18 to 50 sitting home doing nothing. They can have hangnails and not want to work. That is the problem until we end the dependency culture in this state and now that is becoming the norm around the country we will be in the mess we are in for years.
Americans generally put in more hours per year with fewer benefits and less actual vacation time than their counterparts in most other so-called developed countries. Yet there doesn’t seem to be much “country building” going on these days. The other side of what “built the country (as if it went according to some plan)”, as some put it, was a great deal of conquest (violent and otherwise) lots and lots of cheap land and resources, all coordinated by as rapacious a group of capitalists, war horses and flim flam artists as were ever gathered on one continent at one time. Agreed, the rank and file did their solemn duty and worked their largely unrewarded lives to the end. In some corners of the country at the village level there were instances of community vitality and voluntary collective effort, but over the decades the great centralizing forces of the greater economy largely extinguished them, teaching one and all that they were on their own, that whatever happened to them was the result of good or bad habits, that other than mother nature and the almighty, there were no such things as forces beyond their control. It is hard to believe people actually believed it, but they did and they worked, prayed and believed the myths sold to them were true. They also believed they were the masters of the republic, particularly at election time but rarely did they ever have their collective hands on the tiller of state or any other power vortex, thus the myth was all they had to keep them from despair. Those who didn’t organized, rebelled and were suppressed for their troubles. The whole story is there for the reading for those who care to do it. The story reveals this country’s development to have been a mixture of an often naive and patriotic citizenry pulled along by cynical leadership, of hard workers too often outdone by the hustlers. So, by working steadily and celebrating the things that make us healthy, by trying our best to love our fellow humans and animal cousins and by trying to put our lives in harmony with the rhythms of the planet, we have enough to do. Our politics and politicians should fit into this picture, but they rarely do. Instead they draw out our pettiness, our fears and they feed on them neither more nor less than they ever have. We ought be better than that. Are we?
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I agree some need help. It is the ones buying cigs and beer that make me wonder if they are the ones. If they don’t really need all the help given them we could afford to help the ones that really need it. Again is is about choice.
You can’t buy “cigs & booze” with your foodstamp card, and technically they can’t with the TANF either, but if you go to the ATM and withdraw the cash from your TANF card, it is spent at the store without the state knowing what it is being spent on. The state should regulate it better. The reason for TANF is to help you temporarily get by with living expenses – hence why it’s called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Instead, people live off of it, buying anything they please with the TANF money.
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Actually, you are told during the TANF orientation that the cash benefits on the card can be used just like cash for ANYTHING within a store that takes the EBT card. That needs to change, and fast.
Would an appropriate change be that people on TANF, to receive the next month’s TANF, be required to show receipts showing the balance spent? Or is this the practice right now? If you are pulling out cash and spending it on non-necessary items (whatever that may be) and not food, bills, amenities, and you have no receipts to show (because you threw out that Allen’s receipt) then you get only monies for the receipts you show. I would be fine with spending my tax dollars to help anyone if there were receipts of it being used properly.
Sure. Why not? However, are you willing to pay the extra workers it would take to go over those receipts each and every month. Keeping in mind that current caseload levels are anywhere from 1000-1200 statewide per worker?
If so, contact Collins, Snowe, Michaud and Pingree (whomever applies) and ask them to vote to change the rules.
Think about it this way- use the monies that are currently misused to hire some people who do just that, and create more jobs which will ultimately help the economy.
I don’t disagree. What I am saying is it isn’t likely to happen for a number of reasons, one of them being the current admininstrations distain for public workers.
Secondly it isn’t within the scope of current policy, which would need to be adjusted on the state and federal level.
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Not to open up this can of worms, but have you checked other welfare-based programs? You have to show proof of receipts and hold on to these receipts each month to show where your money is being spent for other programs – same amount of employees doing that work as well. So here are the 4 weekly Wal-mart grocery receipts, ehre is my electric bill, etc. I’m not talking go over it with a fine tooth comb like Sam’s Club does when you leave (PAIN). But if you have spent $500 that month for TANF, and you can’t show any grocery or bill receipts, there should be a problem – BIG problem.
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What programs are you referring to?
It is not current practice, but in theory, it’s a great idea. I don’t know if it could ever be a practical way to do it, but it would be nice if it could!
Certainly that would be an invasion of their privacy….
“So people create poverty for themselves and go hungry because they did it to themselves.”
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In some cases, I would say that is the case. Are you telling me there aren’t people out there who CANNOT AFFORD to have a child yet have one….or two…or three or more?
I think that is a very clear case of creating poverty for yourself. Also there are cases of the 19 year old girl who keeps having children as a job. To some, that is poverty, to her that is simply a way of life and breeding is the occupation (or are we conservatives the only people who actually see this?)
I worked in a grocery store and saw a lot of cheating but much, much more using the food stamps the right way. The thing is that people only see and talk about the cheaters so that it seems like there are more cheaters then there are! There are good and bad in every thing but only the bad gets attention!!
I guess a lot of people will have to try and return their coffee brandy and cigarettes
In America, and other rich countries, people go hungry and become poor because of their own actions. Yes, there are exceptions to the rule, but in general how many homeless doctors, physicists, chemists, or engineers do you know? Now granted not everyone is able to be those things, but dropping out of high school and committing your life to a dead end minimum wage job is most certainly not a path to prosperity.
Ready for the keys to success? Don’t be lazy (I am not implying that poor people are lazy, I am simply stating don’t be lazy, as at least some poor people are), obtain a useful and desirable skill, be good at what you do, and work hard.
Show me a person who has a useful and desirable skill, who is hard working, and good at what they do who is unemployed and I will show you an anomaly.
The taxpayers of Maine spend upwards of $130,000 to educate every child in Maine, then we provide assistance for post secondary education. If you’re not disabled then you have no one to blame but yourself for being poor.
I agree. With our community college system (they accept virtually everyone) and the price is incredibly low, there are many opportunities for people to better their situation. It can get harder if you do not live within a commuting distance to a college, but if you want something bad enough, usually there is something you can figure out. The community college system in Maine creates a lot of opportunities for students (I use the community college system as it is significantly cheaper than 4 year colleges).
Thank you. I was a mechanic. My back is messed up. I went back to school and started working in I.T. Skills, you need them. Find something you can do.
in that case, can I borrow $500?
You can earn it. I need some painting done.
I’m all for doing side jobs to earn extra money.
So is having a command of your own language. That would be, “Life IS what you make it.” So while you’re sitting on your high horse judging others, you might want to pick up a proofreading book and start studying.
I am not an english major. I don’t care. That is not my skill. Your comments on my writing are lame. Libs like you do this just to change the dialogue.
You have made that obvious, blanc12. What your skill is becomes apparent as one reads your mean-spirited posts. I reserve my time and effort only for those who have the lethal combination of ignorance and cruelty. You have the power within yourself to change both of those problems, but if you choose to continue along your current path, be prepared for liberals to “call” you on it. BTW, in reference to your other comment, in English, that would be, “Thank you, Professor.”
Wow did you set yourself up for this one! lol sometimes its best to leave some comments to yourself :)
not sure what planet you grew up on blanc12, but it sounds like you were awfully lucky.
Lot of hard work and hardship.
Not so! The guy I see sitting on his duff, begging outside of Walmart in Ellsworth doesn’t look like he’s lived a hard life! Doesn’t look like he’s done much of anything at all!
In reality his life is a hard one.
How do we know he is poor not someone looking to live off all of us. You can only help folks for so long then folks try to make it a lifestyle and become dependent on these programs. These programs have been expanded so much everyone instead of working a job would rather hop on the Welfare Wagon. We need more Wagon Pullers not more Wagon Riders. If folks can’t make improvements with getting a job and seeing a change in the economic situation within a 3 yr. period then start cutting benefits. Because Mainers shouldn’t have to suffer for others refusal to make changes to their lives and becoming responsible for themselves.
☆彡
5 year limit? You really don’t believe that actually happens do you? There is generational welfare going on everywhere. I have seen examples of it, and I have known people who were certainly on welfare far longer than 5 years (have a kid when she is 19…..then another when she is 22…then another when she is 25). The gravy train just keeps rolling.
uh
Agreed! As I have said many times, we make it way too easy for somebody to live off the system.
How incredibly astute you are, to be able to know all about a person from the way he looks. No wonder you call yourself, “Abbyisgod.” Does God know He’s been replaced?
Or is that simply a typo-did you really mean “Abbyisgood?” Either way, sister, you’re wrong.
Some people actually work their butts of to support their families and DON’t use drugs, smoke or drink yet still qualify for and need assistance.
Bravo ! And , even though these folks had their benefits raised for a short while and was supposed to have it lowered back , you can bet that even $20 a month will hit hard. They should have anticipated it, thats true, even got 4 extra months of the increase…just long enough to establish a budget based on that meager amount as it is. I am all for welfare reform but there needs to be stricter qualifiers that make the frauds give up trying. Most people with these stamps need them. Going hungry is a horrible thing for anyone and unless you have been there you will never know. I wonder if people realize just how many elderly get SNAP, for them $ 20.00 may as well be a million.
I agree that there are many hard working people out there that need the help, my remark was directed to the water dumping, stamp selling crowd not to the hard working crowd, we all know of the abuse and we need to stop it so more hard working people can get the help they need, that is what I meant…
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A couple of keystrokes on their computer (in a timely manner) could’ve saved everyone from this, but no, the rules had to be changed first. We’ve all seen how slow the government can work…..
While the state is claiming overpayment and wanting people to pay the money back, it appears that DHHS has made another $9.2 million error because it can’t do correct math. http://www.kjonline.com/news/Feds-ask-Maine-to-refund-92M-in-Medicaid-funds.html Will LePage ask DHHS employees’ former school districts to pay for remedial math classes?
Most people in Iraq & Afghanistan smoke cigarettes and drink beer paid for with American tax dollars. Should we make life a little tougher on them also ?
I just spent the past 20 minutes typing out my thoughts and opinions on the Foodstamp issue, but when I went to send it, it disappeared. I am going to make this short this time:
Last Novemberish I went on state aid, I called last week to DHHS to cancel the TANF. The lady asked me if I was sure it’s what I wanted to do…yes it was….otherwise I wouldn’t be calling. My children and I are still receiving foodstamps, because I do still need some help. The lady at DHHS told me that the foodstamps amount will rise until December since I have chosen to go off the TANF. I asked why…she said that’s just the way it is. As it was, my two children and I receive too much for foodstamps, and when she told me that it was going up to $500+ a month until December, I told her that was way too much. I told her that we don’t need that much in help and asked if she could take some of that off. She said she can’t, the state mandates the amount by ones income. She also told me that I was the first person she has had to complain about receiving too much in food stamps. I explained that I am a careful shopper, and I don’t buy the junk food, sodas, and whatnots (once in awhile I will get the kids a treat, as long as it’s on sale).
Too me, and that’s in my opinion, Maine gives out way too much for foodstamps. This is a program to “help” people, not to let people abuse it. Start reigning in the amount of money given every month for foodstamps. Honestly…..over $500 for a family of 3….that’s ridiculous!
Well I’d have to say you’re in the minority there. A friend of mine that’s on disability with two teenagers only gets 97 a month in food stamps. I guess the 1800 monthly in disability is just too much for a family of three….disgraceful I say!
There is more to it than that. Earned income is counted differently than unearned income, for one thing. Food Supplement also takes into consideration rent and utility expenses. Which Mainergirl may have more of than your friend.
There are other factors too, but why bore you with them.
I don’t receive $1800 in disability, so that’s probably part of why I end up getting more in the foodstamps. I wish you and your friend well in the future.
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For my family of 3 used to be 4 we only spend about 400 a month we budget 500 but usually do not come close to that unless meat is on a good sale. We eat very healthy but very little red meat.
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LOL…we eat just fine. I have two teenagers and neither of them starve or go hungry. Even if I were to only receive $100 or so a month for foodstamps, I would be greatful for that help. I realize that foodstamps are to help with groceries, and not completely pay for groceries.
Life in Maine is tough, there is no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I struggle financially, as do many, many others here in this state, and other states. But for me, personally, I think $500 a month in foodstamps is just too much. I am grateful that I can stock up on items, and that if someone I know is having a hard time, I can cook them a few different dishes, or send over some food to help them out. Some people concentrate so much on themselves, that they forget there are people out there worse-off than ourselves. Of course this is just my thoughts.
Good luck. Life is hard these days.
YOU ROCK! If you even need a friend, I’m here!!!
That answer you got was subpar.
Let me help.
If you leave TANF, even on a volunteer basis AND are working. (PS. you have to be working), there are several transitional benefits. One of which is called Transitional Food Supplement. What it does is gives you more in Food Supplement than you normally would be eligible for, during that five month period. The rule is that the income that “closed” the TANF does not count toward Food Supplement (transitional) for 5mos.
So while, that is “the way it is” is also true, facts help people understand why it is, what it is.
Most people in Iraq & Afghanistan smoke cigarettes and drink beer with American tax dollars. Should we make life a little tougher on them also?
yes, we should..
Should we make life for poor Americans as hard as you would for poor Afghans ?
Why shouldn’t we think that is exactly what you are saying ?
wow………………
Are you talking about Afghanis and Iraqis or our US soldiers?
If people really want to get picky about how their tax dollars are spent they’d try to start regulating how any state, city, or federal government employee spends their paycheck. No cigarettes, alcohol, vacations, steaks or lobsters for them.
People here aren’t doing that. Instead, they are furious that some people are misusing a program that was designed to help people get back on their feet during difficult times. Many people are using the program as a permanent ‘job’, rather than the temporary aid it was intended to be.
There is a difference between people who work hard and EARN their paycheck. Even if the tax dollars pay that check, the fact that they’ve earned it gives them the right to spend it how they want. Those who are making a career out of, and/or misusing state aid, do not.
Yes please.
So easy to see how this mistake could have been made. My bank statement says I have 20.00 in my account, I know I have 15.00. But bank keeps saying I have 5.00 more then I know I have. I’m not going to use that 5.00 because I’m smart enough to know that the bank will be knocking at my door for the 30.00 that they tried to shove down my throat, and want it back. Maybe the ones on the food stamp program should have known that the amount they was getting was more then they had in previous months and not used it. You got to know the government always returns to the scene of their crime to try to lay blame on someone else but themselves. Hopefully the next time a mistake is made by the Government, the people on the side of the mistake will take notice and not get caught by the seat of their pants. Wise up people take charge of your lives. It might not hurt so much next time.
Because I guarantee there will be plenty of mistakes coming down the pike.
I believe you might want to reread the article as it states the federal government decided to cut back on the amount. This would mean that anyone receiving benefits would not have seen the amount go up (since it didn’t) the amount stayed the same the fed govt is cutting the amount back people did not know this. So your whole bank reference does not even apply here . I guess instead of trying to make it seem like these people were stupid just showed your own “wisdom” in not even reading the article correctly
The over payments went out after the federal government, which pays for and runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, decided to cut back the portion of benefits that helps recipients pay their utility bills. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had temporarily boosted those benefits as oil prices rose to record levels last year.
I guess maybe you might need to reread article.
Food stamp recipient had X amount of money then the Government boosted pay, then reduced pay.
I do believe the card holder of food stamps did see their amount go up. So where did i not understand what I read. You mean to tell me the ones getting the food stamp help were so dumb that they didn’t know that they was getting more. I don’t think so.
…
they recieved a letter in the mail stating due to rising fuel cost your benefits will be increased. Typical letter and why not believe it.
>>>#<<<
get a job. Plant a garden.
//\x//\
Retired Military. working full time. 80% service connected disability. Have a nice day
And 100% better than those who are poor apparently. Thank you for your service, but I can’t say I’m on board with your attitude towards the poor.
It is about choices. Food or cigs? Food for the kids or a 12 pack for me. Things should be tougher. If they have money for cigs and beer are they really that poor. I have seen poor people in the world. We have it really good here. I am not better or worse than anyone.
You can only buy food on EBT, unless you have the cash program. I am
unfortunately on food stamps. (Only for food.) I work part time, my husband works full
time and we have a 8 month old. I have my degree in Mental Health but am
making minimum wage. Without food stamps we would not have money to
eat. I honestly don’t know anyone who misuses their food stamps. We
don’t get any help paying our bills, however I heard of this family that
makes so much more money then we do and they get everything paid for
them. I know people abuse fs are out there, but they are not as
common as you think. I am tired of hearing people talk down to those
who need help. The reason why I am in this situation is because I didn’t come from a rich family. I graduated the top of my class in high school and paid my way through college. I work hard for everything I have.
000000
I AGREE…THERE ARE THOSE FEW WHO ABUSE THE SYSTEM…I WAS A SINGLE MOM MOST OF MY 3 CHILDREN’S LIFE…WAS A C.N.A. FROM 1978-2006 WHEN I BECAME DISABLED…I WORKED FULL TIME AND ALL THE EXTRA TIME I COULD GET, AND I STILL QUALIFIED FOR MAINE CARE, FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR MY 3 CHILDREN AND MY SELF…I MADE SURE MY CHILDREN HAD WHAT THEY NEEDED AND A LITTLE OF WHAT THEY WANTED…AND I NEVER BOUGHT TOBACCO OR ALCOHOL..,IF THOSE OF YOU ARE OUT THERE THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THIS POSITION YOU RELAY HAVE NO IDEA OF HOW IT FEELS TO BE LOOKED DOWN ON WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR DOING ALL YOU CAN TO SURVIVE IN THIS IMPERFECT WORLD…I MISS BEING ABLE TO WORK… CONIC BACK AND ABDOMINAL PAIN INTER FEAR WITH JUST THE EVERY DAY THINGS I HAVE TO DO…SO I GET THINGS DONE AS MY BODY LETS ME…I GET DEPRESSED A LOT WHEN I OVER DO IT AND SPEND DAYS JUST HAVING TO SET…AND SEE OTHERS AROUND ME MY AGE BEING ABLE TO WORK AND DO AS THEY WISH…I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A HARD WORKER….I WILL NEVER GET USE TO BEING DISABLED :-(
You and your husband are who people don’t mind helping. Give people a hand up…not a hand out. I know a women who has not worked in 9 years and is collecting disability because she has chronic fatigue syndrome…however, she has no problem walking where ever she wants to go. I know others with this diagnosis and they still work full time. I have a brother who also collects disability and food stamps…there is no reason why he shouldn’t be working. Those are the people who are hard to help.
Just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean you should share it. “‘Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.”
Try losing your job because the business closed, and see what you think when you have no chance to bounce back, because there is nothing to bounce on. You make the choice to feed your kids and go hungry yourself, or choose between starving to death, or freezing to death, and then we’ll talk about the choices you make. You disgust me, and shame every single person who ever served with you. Poor is not a choice. The distribution of wealth in this country is so staggeringly lopsided it should be illegal, but people like you, with their nose in the air, and a false sense of superiority don’t see that because you only parrot what your masters tell you to.
“just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean you should share it”. So now we have Liberals going to restrict the speech of Americans and Mainers. Just because they don’t support their views on the issues. Well that is part of what is wrong with this state and country. Every time someone doesn’t agree with the Democrats they are seen as racists, attacking the poor, against Obama, Pelosi , Reid and Wasserman-Schultz vision for the country. The same in this state if you not on board with the Democrats Anti-Business agenda they accuse you of the same here.
1. You have no idea who I am or what my political leanings are, so good job jumping to conclusions.
2. In no way did I restrict anyone’s freedom of speech, I merely suggested if your opinion has no basis in fact, or is only based on your own bigotry, hate or twisted world view, then perhaps you should refrain from spewing $h!t from your mouth.
3. The rest of your rant makes less sense than the instructions that come with Ikea furniture, and sounds like the ramblings of a conspiracy theorist nut-job.
“Every Time” is a very broad statement, and very far from reality.
If the statement you use to disagree is racist,or you are attacking the poor, as blanc12 was doing, then you should expect to be called out on it.
Time to put the tinfoil hat back on buddy.
wow. you are mean.
Your being biased. Not every poor person buys cigarettes and beer. I know some people abuse their benefits, i’ve seen it myself, but for the elderly and disabled these benefits are a necessity!
Would you believe I agree with you. In my first post that was flagged I said some people buying cigs and beer. There is a need but there is abuse that should be corrected. Some of the kids that we are trying to help feed are still hungry because of their parents misuse their benefits. It is a shame.
I do have a garden, a downright beautiful one. You have a great day, I already am having a good one.
Got a job? Or is gardening it?
I’ve had a full life. Thanks.
Forget it PA-you’re talking a language these punks can’t grasp. It’s called, “Doing the best I can.” They can only do one thing and that is to repeat teaparty, mean-spirited rubbish.
“Some days are diamonds, some days are stones”
I believe you are angry. You should use your maine care for therapy.
So you are disabled, yet working full time? How is that disabled? Isn’t that part of our collective problem today? Everyone is on the take from the government. Everyone. In one way or another.
Oh-80% service connected disability, eh? Then think about this, oh mean one: how would you like it if someone said you brought THAT on yourself or you’re just “milking the system?” Show some compassion, for cryin’ out loud.
LOL. Pitiful.
I agree with mainegal. Your choice to be in the military brought on you what you deserve. Why should you get a disability for a choice you made? You chose to put yopurself in harms way: accept the consequence of your action. (There’s been no legitimate war since world war 2) BTW, just using your logic.
So are you getting a military disability check,pension,Tricare and a paycheck?Looks like life on my tax dollars is good for you.
It is thank you. Have you been shot at? Have you had rpg’s shot at you? have you seen your friends die in your arms? Have you had to leave your wife and kids for a year at a time 4 times to go somewhere you didn’t want to be? Enjoy your freedom. God bless our armed forces.
Like you say, accept the results of your choices. Were you forced to go? Were you conscripted? Or was it a freely made choice on your part? You could have stayed home and worked like many of us did and not go off to a meaningless unfunded war.
I lost my brother as a direct result of Vietnam.I did not mean to make light of your service which is appreciated but did you fight for everyone’s freedom or just those you thought “deserved” it?My brother never made distinctions of who he fought for-he never had the chance.
You seem to spend alot of your time telling people how old you are.
>>>>@<<<<
Thank you for your noble, patient and thoughtful presence in here.
Thank you. I enjoy your comments.
Z-z-z-z-z…
There are 18 and 19 year old girls out there now who, in their minds, are “retired.” as they no longer work…..only they never did nor do they intend to do so. I mean, we will just keep paying to keep them in an apartment/food/healthcare/daycare/free college/MILEAGE paid to college. Or they just sit around and have another kid that WE get to support. The cycle for countless many on welfare never seems to get broken. They can do what they want (and boy many of them seem to like their cigarettes and tattoos.). I do agree that if you can afford cigarettes and tattoos, why are taxpayers paying for your apartment, food and healthcare. The system is beyond broken.
“It is the greatest good to the greatest number of people which is the measure of right and wrong.” Jeremy Bentham
All lib speak for “Oh, just keep paying.”
I would like to know where you got the idea that these people get free college? I receive help from the state, work part time, and am in school full time. I can promise you that my college is not free. Yes, I receive grants (as do most in college, not just those with state help), but trust me, I have my fair share of student loans too.
“grants” are free money, and I would say MOST do not get grants in college. Some people do, some do not. If it is not completely free than I apologize. I knew of somebody many years ago who was given the opportunity to go back to school on one of the countless government programs, and she was going for free…or so she said. Add that in to the food stamps/ebt/housing/free daycare, and she made out a lot better than people who were working.
Free college? Where can I sign up for that??
Obviously not if you’re posting here!
Read my comments. Then if you have something constructive to say let me know.
I have a full time job and bills to pay. I don’t buy groceries because I can’t afford to. I also buy food at a local store which is a raping. If I had a garden I’d totally use it to it’s potential, except that everything would die before It reached full growth. If I work FULL time and can’t afford to live, I can understand how other people have issues. But the people that are just lazy– I agree with you more.
It is about choice. cigs and beer or food. If you still need help you should get it as long as you are not wasting it on needless things like cigs and beer.
I can skip lunch or dinner for a pack of smokes which will last me a few days. I eat very minimally anyways. Same for if I want to have a drink. I don’t receive any assistance, but even still, you don’t need to be completely banned from those substances. Moderation. If you want to have a beer now and then, fine but if you are receiving assistance to sit home and drink brandy and smoke marbs all day on my money, NO i do not approve.
I agree with you
If you are paying your own way, spend the money how you want. If the taxpayers are footing the bill, I think more things should be off limits. Assisting the working poor with putting some food on the table is one thing. Thinking that our tax dollars are going toward cigarettes, tattoos and Allens….kind of irritates many people (myself included).
What and get off my @#$. The Magic Mail Box is as far as I go. Maine’s new slogan.
I did plant a garden and if that’s all I had to sustain me I’d be in big trouble because my crops aren’t looking so good! BTW, I don’t get food stamps. When my family moved back to Maine years ago they received the government food for a time before my father got his business off the ground and I loved the cheese, peanut butter, canned chicken, etc. There was certainly a lot less abuse- if people chose to not use the food it was their choice and they could do without.
It should come from The Angus King campaign funds.
We can cut the Food Stamp Program completly and it changes nothing. Not your taxes or pay. The only benefit realized from cutting welfare is it will free up more money for new tax cuts for the top 2% of Americans and shift some of the tax burdens off them. After all they are feeling the pain just like the rest of us 98%.
LOL
I don’t think blanc12 said that people use their food stamps for booze and cigs. But did say that some people buy booze and cigs so why not use that money for food. If you know anything about using the food stamps its not possible to buy that stuff with them anyways. The clerk runs the items across the bar code and the register puts it in the proper category. At the end the tally is totaled and what qualifies for food stamps is one total all the rest is another total. Now that’s not to say the food stamp recipient does not go and buy cases of water and pour water out of bottles and turn in bottles for the deposit and then go and buy booze and cigs. But that’s a whole other story. Bottom line is that unless the regulations on all the programs are adhered to there will be crimes committed. Its easy to turn a blind eye to ensure job security.
You haven’t heard? That check bounced.
So those who need the assistance are being punished for mistake made by DHS!
No one received less money than eligible for…..the payments for utilities were temporarily raised last year to compensate for higher oil prices and the Feds neglected to reverse the temporary rule which allowed for over-payments……if “paying back” $80 per household over a few months is being “punished” then so be it….IMHO…..
I am having trouble understanding why the system was set up to overpay the benefits to begin with. It shouldn’t be too hard to plug in the correct numbers and let it run.
Changes need to go through the rule making process and that was delayed. You can just plug in a number.
I dont think needy people on foodstamps should have to have their benefits cut just because DHHS has made yet ANOTHER mistake. They do the budgeting and figures, it was their mistake. AND, how did it take them almost a year to figure this out. They said this was back in 2011. They need to get their act together.
The State of Maine will have to pay back the federal government for this mistake. Good catch Governor.
Gee, did you read the article? The Gov didn’t catch anything. The Feds did. The people his commissioner oversees made this error.
I hope you feel as good about this “catch” as you will about the 9.2mil the State now has to pay back in Medicaid fees that were paid out incorrectly.
Well color me surprised!
I think that the DHHS should be held accountable for incorrectly allocating taxpayer money. The person in charge of making these payments should be made to explain clearly to taxpayers (perhaps during a public forum?) how this happened and, more importantly, what measures have been put in place to make sure this does not happen again. It seems that overpayment by this agency happens frequently and is handled with an “oh well” attitude. Perhaps leadership needs retraining and then, if it continues, a change of leadership is in order.
Well if they cut mine anymore i’ll have to give them an IOU.. I live on Disability less than 1300 a month. Rent takes 500 of that. I’m 64 years old and just me and my wife. But they say we earn to much to get any Maine Care or any other assistance. So as long as i can survive they can shove it..I guess i don’t lie about my income and stuff enough to get assistance like a lot of people i know do..
We’ve been overpaying LaPudge…can we get our money back??
It looks to me like we’re overpaying the drones that infest DHHS. I suppose like a broken clock they get it right once in a while.
Why do people keep calling this a mistake ? It wasn’t a mistake at all. The amount was increased on purpose , no mistake there, to help off set the extra cost of utilities at the time. When it came time to reduce it back down they found out that they would need a new rule as it was new territory, you can’t just take money for seeming no reason. Once the rule was established it had gone on for 4 extra months…now the state just needs to recover it…no mistake here , just trying to give folks a little extra help in the winter and then reduce in the summer. The state did nothing wrong, in fact they are going out of their way to make it right. I just really hate to see anyone that really needs it be reduced at time that food is also going up.
Articles like this one really bring them out don’t they? Where is that biblical admonition “judge not lest ye be judged”? Ignored yet again.
Well, well, well…yet another DHHS blunder.
“Maine law prevented DHHS, which administers the program, from reducing benefits until a formal rule change in the program was made.”
So how was this a blunder??
Read the article again. Martin basically said they messed up. He said, “We could have been more proficient and efficient in getting the rules passed.”
Let’s see — it took the DHHS five months to make a rule change during which time they knowingly gave families benefits they were technically eligible for until the rule change became effective which was August and now 12 months after the rule change they want to penalize the families for a mistake the DHHS knowingly made
That is like your employer coming up to you today and saying ” Hey you remember that pay cut we gave you last August ? Well we were suppose to have done that 5 months earlier but we did not get around to it, so we really overpaid you for those 5 months and now you need to pay us back.
Do these people have any clue ? In my world you penalize that people who made the mess. The people who received to much had no way to know there was an issue but the administrators at DHHS did so let them eat cake.
Gee we screwed up so let’s penalize those the most in need in our society.
Ms Mayhew does this speak to your qualifications for you position ? Because in this case the buck stops with you.
You do realize that the mishap happened at the Federal level and that Maine’s DHHS was prohibited by law in correcting the payment until after the rule change was done?? And that by not recovering the over-payments that you as a tax-payer would have been one who was “penalized”…..
I suggest you read the article again.
As stated in the article the Federal level did reduce the benefit levels. The law preventing the Maine DHHS from making benefit changes is a state law.
Apparently you misread my concern. My concern is that it took DHHS five months to make the required rule change, which they themselves acknowledge as not being proficient or efficient. As stated by John Martins, DHHS spokesman, ” We could have been more proficient and efficient in
getting the rules passed.”
I am not against the recovery of overpayment.
The lost tax dollars that really concern me ( and this amount makes the 4 million a minor amount) is the dollars lost and misspent due to the ineptness at DHHS. Their lack of profiency and efficiency seems to just go on and on. We the taxpayer have been lead to believe that Ms Mayhew and crew have taken care of this issue and it just keeps popping up with seemingly no reprocussions. When does it stop.
I don’t want to read the article again…..LOL!…..anyhow I agree with you and after reading it again (against my will) I guess one could think that Mr. Martin’s comment does imply that more may have been done to get the rule change completed thus correct the billing…..it still shows that the whole process(s) IMHO are subject to repeat mis-steps and one wonders where the immediate oversight of these programs is…..it should not take months to realize and correct a problem like this, IMHO…..
I hate that so many on here automatically JUDGE those receiving food stamps to be poor by choice and buying cigarettes over food…especially in rural parts of Maine where there are few jobs. What about the disabled? Those who cannot work, and do not smoke cigarettes or drink booze? My family counts among this portion, and we do have a garden and chickens for eggs. I do agree more people should have gardens, but not everyone is physically able to, or if they live in apartments or in the cities. I just hate to see the less fortunate being judged so harshly- add insult to injury.
First let me say that you have all gotten way off topic. This has nothing to do with the way snap beneficiaries are spending thier money/benfits. It has to do with the fact that the STATE has dispersed the wrong amount and now needs to make up for that mistake by giving people less than what they deserve… and they do derserve it. This is AMERICA. There are people in this world way worse off. We are lucky to live in a country where we have access to such benefits.
I am a single mom of two. I met a U.S. Marine and started a family young. Things didn’t work out. didnt see that coming. I graduated high school. Put myself through college. I grew up in fostercare and have had no family to help me or support me financially or mentally. Unless youve been there, you have no room to judge. Plenty of people that smoke and drink recieve snap benefits Im sure…. plenty that dont do as well. .. not to mention… you cant even purchase products that have high caffine… let alone alcohol or cigarettes…
Full time single Mom. Full time Student. Full time job. SNAP Beneficiary.
USDA wants the funds back… good luck, can’t squeeze water from a rock
The client’s that this affected will have their current Food Supplement benefits garnished (at 10% of what they get) until it is paid back.
As long as the ones that are on food stamps that got over paid, stay on food stamps their food stamps will be reduced til 80 food stamps are repaid. No money will change hands
doubt they’ll get their money back
The only clients they might not get the money back from are those no longer on the benefit. Those that are will have their current benefits garnished to make up the difference.
///@\
You can’t expect everyone who gets their hair on fire anytime DHHS is mentioned, to actually bother with reading the whole article.
I guess that would be asking for too much. I think some just read the headline and go from there.
Good luck getting the money back. IF you would of done the proper audits you would not have this problem.
As long as the ones that are on food stamps that got over paid, stay on food stamps their food stamps will be reduced til 80 food stamps are repaid. No money will change hands
And the US spends 4 million dollars every two minutes in Iraq, Afghanistan…..Why would the US rather kill foreigners than feed its own people?
People be very careful what you sign when you sign up for help. If they over pay you whether it is your fault or not you are resposible for paying it back. Believe me I know.
Truth.
As they should…
Maybe if we had a New President! Who was working to put people into jobs more then he was working to give them foodstamps these things would not happen! For people on FS’s Most need them and use them right we do have life time users who need to get a job and get off them for sure.
The problem with that is even if they had a job they might still be on food stamps. I have said this over and over a lot of families with both parents working still qualify and are on food stamps. about a quarter of our military qualify and are on food stamps. Not all the people on food stamps are lazy losers like the general public of Maine think.
Right. 80% of food stamp recipients give the rest a bad name.
First republicans say government does not create jobs, then they want the president to hold their hands to go to McDonalds to apply for a job. Get rid of food stamps and you lazy republicans will have to work.
Why is it so hard to catch the cheats after all these years? Get out of the cubicles and out in force now.
Gardening isn’t always a possibility. Many parents work overtime or several jobs just to pay the basic bills–they have little time to tending a garden. Most people I know that garden are retired–they have time for it. In our area we have arsenic in our well water and soil is horrible. We have to spend a lot of money just buying water to drink and cook with (high arsenic is very common in Maine–even the soil is questionable as to health). We also live in a high tree area, so the insects are very bad for plants. I’ve tried to garden several times and my plants are eaten by deer, rabbits and lots of insects. Before my green bean plants can produce, the leaves are entirely chewed up. I am looking for alternatives but with my work and the family, finding time for gardening (plus buying the seeds, soil since our soil is bad, getting a rain barrel, fence to keep out animals) is very expensive. And gardening isn’t possible for those living in apartments (which a lot of the poor do).
…posted in wrong place….
….gremlins are running disqus today….
More stealing pennies from a dead man’s eyes while Nutting makes off with $1.2M.Can Mayhew do ANYTHING right?
“I’m not going to starve to death, but they made the error. Why should I have to pay the money back?” Ellis said
Yep. I wonder the same thing when the bank accidentally puts money into peoples accounts. The fact that when it becomes known it is called theft shouldn’t bother anyone.
If people got less benefits, they’d call…if they get more they should call too. And now u want to complain for making it right….
I think DHHS has bought the farm on this one.
So the State messes up and the poor folks get to pay the price I can see a class action suit coming, all it takes is one smart lawyer.
No lawsuit will be coming. Federal as well as State rules state that no matter why the client is overpaid, it is their responsibility to pay it back. It really, actually, isn’t much of a secret.
This why LePage made the comments about education he wanted to hide another mistake that DHHS made this time concerning Food Stamp program.
O.K. So, who’s the meathead running this outfit?
Has anybody noticed the article regarding Lepage and his ABC plan is suddenly unavailable here on BDN. BDN is his office coaching you to take it off or do you support his agenda?
I looked for the ABC plan article and couldn’t find it on the main page. It is now buried in the “Politics” section, along with a Pollways Blog titled “LePage’s education plan won’t pass, but his rhetoric hurts Maine”.
Here are links to each article, respectively, for anyone who still desires to read them:
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/07/25/politics/lepage-blasts-education-system-unveils-new-initiatives/
http://pollways.bangordailynews.com/2012/07/25/maine-politics/lepages-education-plan-wont-pass-but-rhetoric-hurts-maine/
I don’t normally admit that I receive Food Stamps but I do. It’s the one thing I receive for assistance.. I’m a single mom working 40 hrs a week to support myself and my son. And get a whopping $70 a month in food stamps don’t get me wrong every bit helps…But when I send in all the information they request every 6 months for review I’m tired of them screwing up and it affecting us. How about they make the people who receive TANF who are perfectly capable of working get off their butts and work! Pay it back that way!
I have lost track…is this the 4th or the 5th major DHHS computer glitch that has added to the multimillion dollar budget deficit? Anyone out there keeping a count going? I bet it will not be too much longer until DHHS starts eliminating clients from various programs in order to fix this shortfall. What I would like to know is is ANYONE from DHHS actually looking at fixing this computer problem? Just asking….
Just wanted to put a note in on this subject to all of you know it alls out there that think folks who recieve food stamps are lazy…well…I wouldn’t need the help if the low life other parent wasn’t working under the table hiding his income and not paying child support. I shure as heck wouldn’t need assistance if I had the 20,000.oo plus dollars that he owes me in back due child support. So before you start with you’re dim witted comments, why don’t you open your eyes to one of the biggest problems in Maine…that’s the absent parent who takes no responsibiliy and pays no support but is running to the bar three nights a week!!!
HELLO?! YOU MADE THE CHOICE TO SPREAD YOUR LEGS FOR THIS ABSENTEE PARENT…ITS JUST AS MUCH YOUR FAULT…PERIOD.
yep it is and I take responsibility. What are you trying to state here with your big capital letters? I sure hope that you don’t start a family and your spouse doesn’t start beating on you or the kids so you leave them and then when you go to get help from the state because the absent parent wont help, some one starts yapping about you spreading your legs or dipping your wick. If that did happen to you… I wouldn’t be the heartless and commonsenseless one making assumptions about your situation!
You don’t need to change your code name on here as people with commonsense know better than to stereotype! PERIOD.
Stereotyping applies to an entire group of people(example: ALL you moms out there blaming the dad chose the dad to start with)…Im referring to you only. You sit on here and blame the dad but you chose him…that was my point. My apologies for your past experiences but dont play the blame game as to why youre in this situation…Its called taking personal responsibility for your actions.
BTW…I chose my wife carefully and enjoy being involved in my childrens lives. I dont have to worry about absentee parenting being an issue because…I TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
wow, it sure looks pretty on your side of the fence huh? There is no way you can prevent that from happening,if your boss decides to lay you off…he will, if your wife decides to leave….she will. If she falls into substance abuse…she will. If she developes a mental illness….she will. If she changes and your childrens lives are in danger and you have to leave….you will–and I would assume you would take your children with you and do the best you can to raise them. I would also have to assume you would take offense at comments such as you have made here and comments that are much more hurtful and degrading that some other people have posted. My responsibility has been addressed, notice that he owes me the back due child support and not the state? I simply wanted to make a clear point that recieving food stamps should not be an automatic assumption that you are lazy and neglegent. There are other reasons that people have to recieve help, and one resolution would be that the state adhears to Clintons law mandating that all the states correspond with other states to address the issues of absent child support. Shur you may be thinking that I need to go to court and get this taken care of but between working, getting a b.s. degree and taking care of the child and the home…I don’t seem to have alot of time to go to court and fight another state to make him pay, lose time from work and school, and possibly lose my job, especially when Pres. Clinton already addressed the issue and the states have not implemented his law. I wounder what you would think of me if we ever met. Would I be just another low life parent who’s lazy, makes poor choices and mooches off the state? OR would I be a hard working, rational, protective, educated person who is doing everything possible to keep the family afloat and striving to make a better life for my child and I?
I never once said people receiving assistance were lazy. Your assumptions are just that. I said please do not blame your problems on a man you chose to procreate with..And i call BS on your B.S…..Im going to make an assumption of my own. Shouldnt a college educated person know how to spell? Shur, hurtfull, and my favorite…expecially. Come on now Maam. Good luck to you and your BS.
yes I sure should know how to spell but I so have dyslexia…go figure huh? I only stated that if he would be more responsible, then I would not need food assistance. Your undies are in a big bunch because I simply stated that if another male had taken responsibiliy than you would not be able to put me down for “spreading my legs” and “not taking reponsibility” and stating that it is my own doings that caused me to be in this situation. Too bad that you cannot wrap your mind around the fact that I do have a b.s. and that it will soon be a phd. Oh just asking…. how uneducted are you? Or were you just born with your so called common sense, nieve personality, and all that attitude. Did you know that Tom Cruise wasn’t able to read for many years due to his dyslexia? Call me what you want and think what you want about me but I would love to have you walk into my office for help someday and I help you back to reality. Do you want to schedule an appointment?
my first comment was also about people assuming that folks on food stamps were lazy…then you chimmed in and stated that “it was my own falt for spreading my legs” Maybe you need to regroup and go to a anger management session….. I have one going soon in your neck of the woods… wanna join?
This is totally wrong. It was state employees who didn’t follow the federal rules properly. Some pay cuts would be appropriate.
So, just to try to clearify what this is all about…the feds set a national guideline that the states need to adhear to, this guideline states how much of a deduction the reciepient gets for utilities and heating expenses. This deduction is subtracted from their monthly income and regulates the amount of food stamps that they are to recieve. The feds are saying that last year the cost of heating oil was so exspensive that the needy folks needed more food stamps to be able to servive the season of frigid cold and have more monies available to pay for fuel. I couldn’t begin to put fuel in my tank this year because of the fuel prices, and no…fuel assistance is not much…maybe 150 gallons for the entire winter season on average or one cord of wood. The feds don’t have a clue as to what it cost to heat a house in the winter no more than they have a clue as to the fact that the minimum wage is so grossly under the actual poverty level (not the one that they set). I sooo think that Americans need to rethink the wages for the public figures and expecially thier retirement pay….heck, who the pooch makes a sallary like they do after only a few years of employment during which time all expenses are paid…they have so many advisers and assistants, and they get that retirement salary for life…..really? No wounder the states are in such a financial state and the governer is trying to weed out the poor. I also want to address a comment that I read earlier here…No the poor are not all idiots and lazy, I can garantee that alot of those poor folks are way smarter and have more education than you do, plus they or we seem to have more common sense and manners.
“I’m not going to starve to death, but they made the error. Why should I have to pay the money back?” Ellis said.Answer: Because it was not your money. Your hands did not earn it. Entitled at her age!
Why isn’t anyone talking about how much DHHS screwed up?! They sent out the benefits; did anyone get fired for this huge, PREVENTABLE mistake?
I suppose this didn’t happen under LePage’s watch either?
No it happened under the BUSH watch 2005 to 2009. No wonder Bush put us in a Depression giving away food stamps.
It’s a Lapage screw up. You think Mardens would let him off the hook for that kind of money or make poor people pay for his mistake. Good thing for him his in Public service and doesn’t need to be responsible for his screw ups.
The real problem that needs to be addressed here is …. again the DHHS making tremendous, costly errors. Lack of training by qualified people.
I myself feel that there are way to many people on fs, I work hard I do without something to have something ,I grow a garden , I cook a meal to feed a family of 6 with a can of spam. There are many ways to feed your family if someone is willing to learn. I stood in free food lines and still to this day I don’t get fs. I raised 4 children and didn’t need fs. I work my husband works and if the state made a mistake oh well get it back that is my tax dollars. Makes me mad to know that the state can make a huge mistake like this I understand there are people that really need fs.But it is sad when you are out shopping and you see people on fs. eating better then yourself. We all have to take a step Back and live life like the old days when your grandmother could make a meal out of anything.
No, no, no. You don’t get your money back. Just ask Robert Nutting.
Mary Mayhew and the governor who appointed her are both way in above their heads. Neither can manage their jobs with any level of competence.
Yup i am a victim of this.. Back then I called them and said to them that there was a mistake made.. They assured me there wasn’t.. Now they are taking away 10 of my 16 dollar a month food stamps to pay for the mistake that they made and assured me there wasn’t a mistake made.. Looks like i was right again.. I feel i should not have to pay them back cause i notified them of their mistake at the time.. But i do.. Back when i had an account with Peoples Bank now Bank North i had an identity thief remove 1,000.. dollars from my accounts wiped out my whole savings and my checking account and on the third of the month too when i got my disability check.. I never was able to recoup that money.. I also had to repay overage charges that kept on accruing.. I had to change banks and take out a loan of 2500 bucks to repay all the overage charges from bounced checks, then i had to repay the bills that i payed and bounced the checks to like electric and rent, luckily just those two.. My landlord to this day will still not take a check from me.. But all worked out in the long run, and Peoples should of known that i wasn’t at a atm or whatever it was in Montreal Canada..
“Why should I have to pay the money back?”. Because it’s not your money, ma’am. It belongs to the taxpayers and funds mistakenly sent to you are funds which could have been used to help someone else. Having said all that, I don’t know how many more screw-ups on Mary Mayhew’s watch will lead to her finally being fired.
I def agree that the state should have to pay this back not the people who recieve the benifits. I am sick and tired of paying for other peoples mistakes. I recieve a very small ammount of food stamps myself for my family. If I had made the mistake then I would gladly pay it back without being annoyed for sure. But come on, Its not my fault that DHHS is numb!
The people responsible for allowing the overpayment should pay for it themselves. It is not the recipients fault this took place and it is time Maine quits taking out their problems on the people they already shafted to begin with. Man or woman up to the feds and find another way to pay them back, leave Maine out of it.