Posted on 05/07/2009 7:56:03 AM PDT by DCBryan1
Free cars for poor fuel road rage
By Hillary Chabot
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Gov. Deval Patrick’s free wheels for welfare recipients program is revving up despite the stalled economy, as the keys to donated cars loaded with state-funded insurance, repairs and even AAA membership are handed out to get them to work.
But the program - fueled by a funding boost despite the state’s fiscal crash - allows those who end up back on welfare to keep the cars anyway.
“It’s mind-boggling. You’ve got people out there saying, ‘I just lost my job. Hey, can I get a free car, too?’ ” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading).
The Patrick administration decided last month to funnel an additional $30,000 to the nearly $400,000 annual car ownership program.
The program, which is provided by the State Department of Transitional Assistance, gives out about 65 cars a year, said DTA Commissioner Julia Kehoe.
The state pays for the car’s insurance, inspection, excise tax, title, registration, repairs and a AAA membership for one year at a total cost of roughly $6,000 per car.
The program, which started in 2006, distributes cars donated by non-profit charities such as Good News Garage, a Lutheran charity, which also does the repair work on the car and bills the state.
Kehoe defended the program, saying the state breaks even by cutting welfare payments to the family - about $6,000 a year.
“If you look at the overall picture, this helps make sure people aren’t staying on cash assistance. It’s a relatively short payment for a long-term benefit,” Kehoe said.
But Kehoe admitted about 20 percent of those who received a car ended up back on welfare, and while they lose the insurance and other benefits, they don’t have to return the car.
“Given the state’s fiscal condition, paying for AAA and auto inspection costs is outrageous,” said Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei (R-Wakefield). “There are so many families out there trying to deal with layoffs and pay cuts. You have to wonder what the state’s priorities are at this point.”
Applicants for cars must have a job or prove they could get one if they had the car in order to qualify. Once they have the wheels, they must send DTA their pay stubs to prove they are employed.
To get the cars, they must be unable to reach work by public transportation and have a clean driving record. The program is only available to families on welfare with children.
Kehoe said the bulk of cars go to places with less public transportation, such as Fitchburg, New Bedford and Lowell.
“I can’t believe there are no restrictions on how they use the car,” Jones said. “I just don’t see this as a core function of government.”
I am thinking about quitting my job and getting a free car...
“international calling to over 60 destinations”
As long as it can reach Mexico, who cares about the rest?/s
You DO have to be a US citizen to qualify for all this nice free stuff, right?
Let’s see...free cars, free food, free housing and free money.
All we need now is free HD cable and free high speed internet and the circle will be complete.
Do all that and you'll get a free $8000 dollar down payment on a government guaranteed home mortgage, a free car, a food stamp debit card, free health care, disability benefits(ya’know, I can't keep track of all the free-bees), and your own reality TV show.
it always amazes me the illegals can fill out forms to get welfare, free cars, free cell phones, job applications, file lawsuits, yet they never seem to get around to filling out the forms to be legal
I can't remember where I saw it, but yes that is being proposed somewhere.
Ya see it isn't fair that...
What The F*CK!!!!
Hang all POS POLITICIANS...They are all WHORES!
This is going WAY TOO FAR!!!!!!
Is that Peter on the sofa?
Wouldn’t it be cheaper just to pay them to stay at home? Oh wait, we are already doing that.
My favorite line:
“But Kehoe admitted about 20 percent of those who received a car ended up back on welfare, and while they lose the insurance and other benefits, they don’t have to return the car”
Yes it is.
LOL!
First,they've got to fix them wheels with some "tiars" and get rid of those bricks.
They'll probably head to the Post Office to pick up their stimulus check for local economic development. Looks like they are setting out to build a new car port for their free car.
(8-}
But the program - fueled by a funding boost despite the state’s fiscal crash - allows those who end up back on welfare to keep the cars anyway.
“It’s mind-boggling. You’ve got people out there saying, ‘I just lost my job. Hey, can I get a free car, too?’ ” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading).
The Patrick administration decided last month to funnel an additional $30,000 to the nearly $400,000 annual car ownership program.
Unbelievable. FREE cars for welfare recipients in Massachusetts.
should be a plasma tv. and lazyboys. and bluray.
I'm so po'ed reading this I can't even swear straight....
Look over the shirtless goobers left shoulder...is that a Donkey?
Isn’t that just IT, though?
The responsible among us, those who take care of ourselves and only “eat” what we earn, deprive ourselves while those we’re forced to support feel entitled to all manner of luxuries...
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 (New International Version)
10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
11We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.
Assert state sovereignty,
void all federal programs and the taxation required to fuel them,
and tell the feds to pound sand.
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