Lots of ink spilled today about Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed ban on food stamps being used to buy soda, but few have asked: Can he legally do it, and should he? If you’ve been remotely awake today (or at least clicking … Continue reading
The culture clash over New York’s falling welfare rolls — are they a sign of policy success or failure? — rears its head at a city council hearing: On one thing there is no argument: Since 1995, when it reached … Continue reading
Today the Christian Science Monitor — which in general has been doing some outstanding reporting since going online-only last year — hands over a page in its business section to the old argument, favored by conservatives, that poverty rates don’t … Continue reading
New York’s farmers markets and farm share co-ops are spreading like crabgrass, but if you rely on food stamps for your shopping dollars, many still remain out of reach: Sometime in the last year, New York City reached a milestone: … Continue reading
I’ve been plenty critical of the media’s promises to pay attention to poor people since the economy collapsed, so I should give credit where it’s due: The New York Times has a front-page story today by Peter Goodman on people … Continue reading
New York City and state are getting more and more isolated in their stance in favor of fingerprinting food stamp applicants: The Obama administration has waded into the running debate over New York’s practice of fingerprinting food stamp applicants, with … Continue reading
Yes, three articles in one day. In this one, I delve into a much-hyped Bloomberg anti-poverty program that didn’t deliver as hoped: When Mayor Bloomberg announced in 2007 that he was launching a pilot program to give cash incentives to … Continue reading
When is a welfare scam not a welfare scam? If you read the Which Lazy Bastards Are Ripping You Off section of yesterday’s tabloids — you can find it after the Who Is Sandra Bullock Not Sleeping With/Adopting section — … Continue reading
Mayor Bloomberg picks his top welfare policy aide to tackle homeless services. What you think of this likely depends on what you thought of his welfare policies: City Hall announced a major shakeup in its top human services staff today, … Continue reading
Ten-percent unemployment be damned, New York City is still successfully placing welfare recipients in jobs. But what kind of jobs? The most remarkable thing about the job placement trend chart posted on the city Human Resources Administration website each month … Continue reading