Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Poor New Yorkers getting paid for good behavior
Associated Press ^ | April 21, 2009 | Sara Kugler

Posted on 04/24/2009 9:19:22 AM PDT by reaganaut1

The city's experimental anti-poverty program that pays poor New Yorkers for good behavior like seeing the doctor and attending parent-teacher conferences handed out an average of $3,000 per family in its first year.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration said it is too early to know whether it is a useful tool to fight poverty. Officials say it will take five years for a full evaluation of the program, which is the first of its kind in the nation.

But a report released Tuesday by the mayor's Center for Economic Opportunity did contain some preliminary data. It said 80 percent of the 2,400 participating families are described as "fully engaged" in the program, while 16 percent are "less engaged" and four percent have not completed any of the activities.

The program pays poor families rewards, known as conditional cash transfers, for completing tasks like seeing a doctor ($200), attending parent-teacher conferences ($25) or getting health insurance ($40).

The concept was modeled after similar efforts in other countries, including Mexico, Turkey and Brazil.

"We're trying conditional cash transfers in a very different setting, to find out if they work in urban America," Bloomberg said. "Will they succeed? We'll find out -- that will take time. Has it been controversial? Sure, but so is every policy that breaks new ground."

In New York City, the experiment is privately funded; the city handed out a total of $6.6 million in the program's first year, from September 2007 to August 2008. A control group of 2,400 families are also being monitored for five years but are not receiving payments.

[T]he participating families in New York have household incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level; in 2007, when families began receiving rewards, that was equal to $22,301 for a family of three.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: bloomberg; entitlements; handouts; insanity; moreforthepoor; nyc; welfare
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last
I would be ok with conditioning current welfare benefits on recipients meeting their responsibilities, but I don't want extra money (soon to come from taxpayers) showered on people just for doing what most taxpayers do on their own.
1 posted on 04/24/2009 9:19:22 AM PDT by reaganaut1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1

If you pay people to be poor, there will always be poor people


2 posted on 04/24/2009 9:21:56 AM PDT by GeronL (TYRANNY SENTINEL. http://tyrannysentinel.blogspot.com LIBERTY FICTION at libertyfic.proboards.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1

no wonder these cities and states have money problems...


3 posted on 04/24/2009 9:22:21 AM PDT by tatsinfla
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1

Great! Now let’s start paying them for flushing the toilet and washing their hands after they use the restroom.


4 posted on 04/24/2009 9:22:37 AM PDT by goodwithagun (My gun has killed less people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1
... average of $3,000 per family ... 2,400 participating families
$7,200,000
5 posted on 04/24/2009 9:22:38 AM PDT by eastsider
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1
"Bloomberg's administration said it is too early to know whether (giving people free money) is a useful tool to fight poverty."

And the definition of insanity is.....

6 posted on 04/24/2009 9:22:43 AM PDT by ChicagahAl (Don't blame me. I voted for Sarah.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1
The city's experimental anti-poverty program that pays poor New Yorkers for good behavior like seeing the doctor and attending parent-teacher conferences handed out an average of $3,000 per family in its first year.

As Chris Rock said, "As a parent, you're SUPPOSED to do that!"

7 posted on 04/24/2009 9:22:58 AM PDT by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1

We are a single income family - by choice - so I can stay home with the kids. However, things would be a bit easier if I got paid for being a responsible adult & parent. *Sigh*


8 posted on 04/24/2009 9:25:16 AM PDT by ninergold3 ("Has it ever occurred to you that nothing occurs to God?" -Mark Lowry)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1

Training people to be sheep, to be dependent on the government, and to be poor always.


9 posted on 04/24/2009 9:27:35 AM PDT by Leftism is Mentally Deranged (Liberal Laws Reflect the Advanced State of Decomposition of the Liberal Mind)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goodwithagun

“Now let’s start paying them for flushing the toilet and washing their hands after they use the restroom.”

I think that’s part of Obama’s reelction strategy.


10 posted on 04/24/2009 9:28:02 AM PDT by Red in Blue PA (If guns cause crime, then all of mine are defective.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1

Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just deduct money for bad behavior from their benefits? If a conference missed...25 dollar rent the next month from free housing. I guess perks are nice though. Too bad everyone gets them but the working class.


11 posted on 04/24/2009 9:28:49 AM PDT by CindyDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

Wrong..that will be playing them $3000 to vote the straight dem ticket...


12 posted on 04/24/2009 9:29:54 AM PDT by ken5050 (Obama wants a 900% tax on Aspirin. Why, you ask? It's white, and it works...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1

Reminds me of the chapter from Rush’s book about Mayor Dinkins, “Now We Thank People for Obeying the Law.”


13 posted on 04/24/2009 9:29:56 AM PDT by dfwgator (1996 2006 2008 - Good Things Come in Threes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1
While these type things seem instinctive to conservatives, they are alien to people that have only known dysfunctional upbringings.

This is a problem with the conservative message in that it amounts to preaching to the choir. With 40 percent of childbirths now being out of wedlock, the situation for conservatives and the nation at large will only grow bleaker unless conservative messages are changed to better address current realities.

For people that never knew a two parent family or even a nuclear family, conservatives need to develop some "helping hand" quasi-welfare-socialist programs designed to steer people already on the wrong side of the tracks toward a better way of living.

14 posted on 04/24/2009 9:32:11 AM PDT by fso301
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1
True. This is insanity.

FMCDH(BITS)

15 posted on 04/24/2009 9:34:11 AM PDT by nothingnew (I fear for my Republic due to marxist influence in our government. Open eyes/see)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fso301
For people that never knew a two parent family or even a nuclear family, conservatives need to develop some "helping hand" quasi-welfare-socialist programs designed to steer people already on the wrong side of the tracks toward a better way of living.

I could do a lot of work with unwed mothers, I could help them get their start. (With apologies to Steve Martin)

16 posted on 04/24/2009 9:35:50 AM PDT by dfwgator (1996 2006 2008 - Good Things Come in Threes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: CindyDawg

stop making sense.


17 posted on 04/24/2009 9:36:49 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB (ACORN:American Corruption for Obama Right Now)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_NYC


18 posted on 04/24/2009 9:36:59 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (You are receiving this broadcast as a dream)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fso301

As long as this is privately funded,,I have no complaint, but in reality is the charity receiving money from the Govt to perform charity?
The demographics are killing us. More kids born to single parents..fewer parents with education and skills raising kids. More people with the knowledge and motivation to get money for nothing.
The only cure may be a generation of real poverty...a real depression. Looks like that is coming again in the UK.


19 posted on 04/24/2009 9:38:37 AM PDT by Oldexpat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: reaganaut1

@ss-wiping-state alert.


20 posted on 04/24/2009 9:40:34 AM PDT by the invisib1e hand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson