It's not quite a scarlet letter.
But a Chandler Republican lawmaker wants the debit cards now given to food stamp recipients to be bright safety orange. And if there's any doubt about the card pulled out of someone's wallet at the checkout, that would be erased with the mandate that there be, in large, black print, the words, "Government Food Stamp Card."
First-term Rep. Jeff Dial said his goal is not to stigmatize those who qualify for the aid, formally known as the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Instead, Dial told Capitol Media Services he wants to prevent fraud.
"If that does concern people that they have a bright orange card, I hope they go get a better education or better jobs and stop using that card," he said.
But what Dial wants to do in his proposal, set for hearing Wednesday before the House Health and Human Services Committee, may be illegal.
The program, funded by the federal government, is designed to help low-income people be able to purchase more nutritious items than their finances might otherwise allow. As of last month, there were more than 431,000 Arizona families getting some assistance.
Any family with an income of less than 130 percent of the federal poverty level - $1,984 a month for a family of three - is eligible, with the amount of help computed according to a formula.
In an example provided by the state Department of Economic Security, which administers the program, a family of three with gross earnings of $946 a month, before taxes and deductions, is entitled to $242 a month in benefits.
At one time food stamps actually were in the form of coupons in various dollar amounts. Now, all states administer it with debit cards.
"It's obviously a big deal now in the state to get rid of any wasteful spending," Dial said.
"It's my understanding that a lot of people - and I don't know the numbers yet - that are taking the food stamp cards are selling them basically, whether it be on Craigslist or to other individuals. I believe they should be used by the intended person and not be used by third parties or be sold for like 50 cents or 25 cents on the dollar."
Dial said the bright orange color and bold lettering would make it "very clear" what the card is. That, in turn would direct the retailer to demand additional identification proving that the person presenting the card is, in fact, the legitimate holder.
"We want people to take a very close look at that card and make sure that the person that's using that card matches up by ID as well as by photo so we can get rid of that wasteful spending," Dial said.
But DES spokesman Steve Meissner said various federal regulations likely preclude what Dial wants.
For example, it says users of the debit cards should not be singled out for "special treatment" as compared to any other shopper. A bright orange card, Meissner said, could run afoul of that.
Meissner said that a requirement for retailers to ask for photo ID to compare with the name on the card definitely would violate federal anti-discrimination rules, particularly as users have their own unique PIN number.
It is legal, Meissner said, to require the state as the card issuer to put the name or photograph of all household recipients and their authorized representatives on the debit cards. But he said there are practical considerations which could force DES to have to issue more than one debit card for each household.
Dial said the fact that funding comes not out of the state budget but from the federal government does not reduce his desire to curtail fraud.
"What it comes to is, we're all paying taxes to the federal government," he said, with the state only administering the program. "It may not be coming out of our budget. But we should be good custodians."
As to questions of misuse of the cards, DES officials said three of 49 investigators it has on staff are devoted strictly to tracking down food stamp fraud. The agency said the new fraud unit, set up last year, does not have figures of how much was saved through its activities.
EmperorSmith posted at 4:39 pm on Tue, Feb 15, 2011.
There not hard to see if your eyes are open when checking out.
moonbat posted at 5:12 pm on Tue, Feb 15, 2011.
Can sure tell this is the Tribune. You write something perfectly acceptable, click it to send it, they tell you they can't take it because there is "profanity" in it (there is not), and then they don't even tell you which word(s) they consider to be bad.
Is it any wonder this guy is their politician?
az2008 posted at 6:57 pm on Tue, Feb 15, 2011.
It's hard to believe anyone's making much money on welfare. If they're making too much money or not moving off welfare, I think the solution would be to reduce benefits and/or work with employers to create back-to-work programs.
Increasing the shame seems like it will only diminish dignity. Something similar happened in the '60s. Public housing was offered on a sliding scale. Working poor lived among single welfare moms. Someone like this politician had the reasonable idea that we shouldn't subsidize people with jobs. The result was a whole generation of kids who grew up without seeing neighbors slightly better off, going to work, struggling to get off assistance. A whole generation with no dignity.
I'm not defending welfare. I think it can be improved. But, this guy will make it worse. (Unintended consequences.).
azloki posted at 8:10 pm on Tue, Feb 15, 2011.
Just drug test all food stamp and welfare applicants, and a surprise test at any time...
Wasplady posted at 9:39 pm on Tue, Feb 15, 2011.
I don't know if the cards being bright orange will help stop fraud but any step being taken to stop illegal aliens from receiving any kind of government subsidy is fine with me. I agree with drug testing all food stamp/welfare/public health receiptants also (and not just the adults).
mdarizona posted at 10:56 pm on Tue, Feb 15, 2011.
When I was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and my private insurance company (First Health) capped my coverage at $100K for treatment, I went bankrupt paying for the rest of my treatment. AHCCCS saved my life. I was on food stamps while I was being treated for cancer.
Is this what Arizona is all about? Is this how my fellow Arizonans treat their neighbors with cancer?
ghostme15 posted at 10:59 pm on Tue, Feb 15, 2011.
I KNOW HOW ABOUT YOU MR.DIAL WEAR A BRIGHT ORANGE SUIT SO I CAN SEE YOU COMMING!!!!!
wdgnas posted at 6:53 am on Wed, Feb 16, 2011.
while you're at it put the name of the employer that person works for in bold, large font black print. how many of these debit card recipients work for walmart without benefits?
ofuque2 posted at 8:08 am on Wed, Feb 16, 2011.
Let's paint ALL automatic weapons bright orange, too. That way, maybe we can see the killers coming and get out of the way. Of course, that would NEVER even be considered in a Republican-run state. I am just wondering what the Republicans are going to do when they have gotten rid of all of the lower and middle-class people in this state. Who will they get to do their work and pay all of the taxes. It sure won't be big-business and the rich. They are giving even more tax breaks and subsidies to big business and the rich and raising taxes on the middle class while lowering entitlement programs for the poor working class. That seems to be the Republican way. The rich get richer and the poor keep getting poorer.
LesleyStevenson posted at 2:08 pm on Wed, Feb 16, 2011.
I am absolutely appalled at this gentleman's lack of knowledge regarding the Federal Nutrition Assistance Program. I would like him to pay a visit to the THOUSANDS of family members who are raising their kin. Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents... anyone who will get them out of their abusive situation. The caregivers may not be able the provide for their kin if it weren't for such programs. In fact, a friend of mine just took in her 4 nieces, on top of her own 3 children. I would hate to see her have to use such a card and get the stares and criticism of have more children than she can afford when that is far from the case. These children would then be thrown into the care of Child Protective Services where they will cost more tax dollars to raise and not be in the home of family members. Yes, people do abuse the program however, spend more time on training the decision makers of who qualify people for the program and less time on slandering innocent people. This proposal makes my blood boil!
EmperorSmith posted at 2:29 pm on Wed, Feb 16, 2011.
my blood boils also but for a different reason.
LesleyStevenson posted at 7:50 pm on Wed, Feb 16, 2011.
A different reason or maybe the same? Those who cheat the system have ruined it for the rest? Those who abuse gun laws have made it tougher on those who don't? Those who have stolen have raised prices for all? We may speak the same language in different ways. Yes?
Poorman posted at 11:31 am on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
A nice bright lime green would be better don't ya think? Why are some of our posters trying to mix gun law stuff in this? The post on automatic weapons,is oh well,i wonder if the poster means semi-automatic weapons?Maybe the poster doesn't know the difference i guess.
EmperorSmith posted at 12:31 pm on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
Yes