Unexpected windfall for some back to school shoppers
NORWICH – More than two thousand school-aged youths in Chenango County received $200 each for back-to-school clothes and supplies this week from the federal government and billionaire George Soros.
The money was automatically loaded into the state-issued debit cards of individuals who receive Social Services support through temporary assistance and food stamp programs.
Sherburne resident Jeff Verry, who relies on food stamps to feed his household of five, said he had been questioning whether he would be able to afford clothes and supplies for his two high school-aged children this year.
“I went to buy groceries last night and saw my cash balance at $400,” he said. “I’d never seen that before. For me, it was great.”
Verry said if he had to purchase the items, “something else wouldn’t get paid.”
According to Chenango County Department of Social Services Commissioner Bette Osborne, the county received what she called the “surprise” notification of a $400,000 appropriation to the department’s budget on Aug. 10.
“We did not know they were going to do this until Monday. We found out about a HEAP cash assistance program, also quickly like this, back in the spring. It seems to be a trend now, like, ‘Here’s a surprise. We are going to do this,’” she said.
A total of 2,312 youths ages 3 through 17 in Chenango County have already received the grant or will be shortly. DSS was asked to apply for the remaining amount of $62,400 in the form of a reimbursement.
New York State Gov. David Paterson announced Tuesday that more than 800,000 children in low-income families across the state would receive the $200 grants. He said the slumping economy has put families into the position where they are going to have to use their money for rent and the most basic necessities, leaving little left over for their children’s school supplies.
A $35 million grant from Soros enabled the state to access $140 million in a 4-to-1 matching grant program through the stimulus package. Soros, a global financier and political activist, donated the money through his Open Society Institute.
While the goal is to have needy families buy supplies for their children, Osborne said there is no way to track such purchases locally. Chenango County Finance Committee Co-Chairman Dennis Brown, D-Pharsalia, said to do so would “cost more than the $200 per kid.”
“It’s just a gift,” he said.
Some New York Republicans have criticized the plan, saying there is no requirement for how the money is used, or that a child has to be enrolled in school for the family to get the money. Senator Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, said while he liked seeing government put money back in people’s hands through rebates, exemptions, credits or tax cuts, the plan wasn’t an appropriate use of federal stimulus money.
“I don’t see how it puts anyone back to work. It’s wrong for any Governor to secretly plan and then dole out $140 million on his or her own without legislative approval. It’s foolish that there are no safeguards on how the $200 per child will actually be spent. It could go to school supplies or clothes. But it could also go to alcohol, tobacco or other adult products.”
“The timing is way off. The Governor just announced that we need to close a $2.1 billion budget deficit in September. This cash could have helped avoid health care or school aid cuts,” he said in a press statement issued Wednesday.
Osborne said DSS departments in urban counties have been inundated with individuals asking about the grants.
“We haven’t had that problem, but there are local implications to it... There is extra work for us at the local level,” she said
The money was automatically loaded into the state-issued debit cards of individuals who receive Social Services support through temporary assistance and food stamp programs.
Sherburne resident Jeff Verry, who relies on food stamps to feed his household of five, said he had been questioning whether he would be able to afford clothes and supplies for his two high school-aged children this year.
“I went to buy groceries last night and saw my cash balance at $400,” he said. “I’d never seen that before. For me, it was great.”
Verry said if he had to purchase the items, “something else wouldn’t get paid.”
According to Chenango County Department of Social Services Commissioner Bette Osborne, the county received what she called the “surprise” notification of a $400,000 appropriation to the department’s budget on Aug. 10.
“We did not know they were going to do this until Monday. We found out about a HEAP cash assistance program, also quickly like this, back in the spring. It seems to be a trend now, like, ‘Here’s a surprise. We are going to do this,’” she said.
A total of 2,312 youths ages 3 through 17 in Chenango County have already received the grant or will be shortly. DSS was asked to apply for the remaining amount of $62,400 in the form of a reimbursement.
New York State Gov. David Paterson announced Tuesday that more than 800,000 children in low-income families across the state would receive the $200 grants. He said the slumping economy has put families into the position where they are going to have to use their money for rent and the most basic necessities, leaving little left over for their children’s school supplies.
A $35 million grant from Soros enabled the state to access $140 million in a 4-to-1 matching grant program through the stimulus package. Soros, a global financier and political activist, donated the money through his Open Society Institute.
While the goal is to have needy families buy supplies for their children, Osborne said there is no way to track such purchases locally. Chenango County Finance Committee Co-Chairman Dennis Brown, D-Pharsalia, said to do so would “cost more than the $200 per kid.”
“It’s just a gift,” he said.
Some New York Republicans have criticized the plan, saying there is no requirement for how the money is used, or that a child has to be enrolled in school for the family to get the money. Senator Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, said while he liked seeing government put money back in people’s hands through rebates, exemptions, credits or tax cuts, the plan wasn’t an appropriate use of federal stimulus money.
“I don’t see how it puts anyone back to work. It’s wrong for any Governor to secretly plan and then dole out $140 million on his or her own without legislative approval. It’s foolish that there are no safeguards on how the $200 per child will actually be spent. It could go to school supplies or clothes. But it could also go to alcohol, tobacco or other adult products.”
“The timing is way off. The Governor just announced that we need to close a $2.1 billion budget deficit in September. This cash could have helped avoid health care or school aid cuts,” he said in a press statement issued Wednesday.
Osborne said DSS departments in urban counties have been inundated with individuals asking about the grants.
“We haven’t had that problem, but there are local implications to it... There is extra work for us at the local level,” she said
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