Restoring Public Confidence in Welfare

Editor's Note: the following commentary was submitted by state Sen. Richard Moore (D-Uxbridge) the president pro tempore of the Massachusetts Senate.

One of the founding documents on which early Massachusetts society was based was written by Governor John Winthrop who arrived here with the Puritans about the ship, Arbella, in 1630.  His sermon, “A Model of Christian Charity,” was more commonly known as the “City on a Hill” speech, and it was a favorite of both President John F. Kennedy and President Ronald Reagan. 

Winthrop called on the colonists to share their surplus with those who have less, noting: “We must entertain each other in brotherly affection. We must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities, for the supply of others’ necessities.”  In other words, he called upon the group to share so that none would go wanting.Massachusetts has operated a welfare program since the days of the Puritan settlers.  The Massachusetts Body of Liberties provided that widows, for whom their late husbands had not properly provided, would be cared for at the expense of the entire colony.  Early Massachusetts towns, including many in our region, maintained “poor farms,” where destitute residents could work to care for themselves and their families.  Although welfare was once operated locally, it has become part of both federal and state law providing billions of tax dollars to those in need of assistance.

In the past few years, it has become apparent that the current system of welfare benefits is broken.  It is too open to fraud, with some people receiving benefits who are not entitled to them, and some recipients have sold their benefits to unqualified people.  They then report the benefits cards “lost,” and obtain a new card. The real problem, apart from fraud, is that the system fails to help people move off government assistance and out of poverty.  News that the family of the Marathon bombing suspects had been recipients of public welfare at some point in time sparked even greater outrage.  On the national level, welfare was reformed in 1996 and, more recently, in 2003. 

Massachusetts has a long tradition of innovation in the area of social policies and programs. It was in the forefront of welfare reform when, in 1995, it passed legislation calling for time-limited welfare assistance and stringent work requirements. This new approach to delivering aid represented a major shift in policy and involved operational changes in the way public assistance and services for low-income families were provided. The state was also one of the first to revamp its employment and training system, developing a system of one-stop career centers that evolved out of planning begun in the late 1980s and have been refined and fully implemented since then. 

The Legislature again approved welfare reforms in 2012 to limit the use of Electronic Benefits Transfer Cards or EBT cards after it was revealed that recipients were purchasing cigarettes, liquor, lottery tickets, or using them to go to expensive nail salons.  However, Governor Patrick has said that his administration will not enforce such limitations because “enforcement is not feasible,” as he wrote to the Legislature.However, the recent investigation by the Auditor of the Commonwealth and the Inspector General send a clear message that comprehensive reform of welfare is essential to restoring confidence in the welfare system so that those who are truly in need of help still have a system that helps them get back on their feet.  Reform is also vital to restoring confidence in government, itself! 

Some piecemeal reform proposals were offered during recent budget debate in the Senate, however, these proposals were often lacking in information on cost and prospects for effectiveness.  Comprehensive welfare reform must be at the top of the legislative agenda.  The system must be based on the concept of assistance that moves people from welfare to work within a reasonable time.  Those who get assistance must understand that welfare cannot be a way of life, but only a transitional period to become job ready and, ultimately, employed.  The system must not make it more desirable to stay on welfare than to work and earn a living.  Any recipient who sells their benefits card to another must be terminated from the program and anyone who is not eligible who illegally obtains benefits must be prosecuted and punished.  Finally, the state must obtain the technology to make the system work and officials must have the will to make the system work without fraud, waste or abuse.  A good starting point would be to require every recipient to re-apply to determine eligibility.  It’s time for real reform!

Senator Richard T. Moore represents fourteen towns in South Central Massachusetts.  He is the President Pro Tem of the Massachusetts Senate.