BOSTON – The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ welfare system is in line for some serious renovations.
A $20 million overhaul bill passed unanimously Wednesday evening, approving an additional $11 million in spending that will look to take Bay Staters who are receiving unemployment benefits and match them with private sector jobs which fit in with their experience and skills through the state Department of Career Services.
The bill, which was brought forth by the Senate, has been championed by Republicans, and was supported by all three of the GOP’s western Mass. representatives in Southwick’s Nicholas Boldyga, Palmer’s Todd Smola, and Westfield’s new Senator-elect Don Humason Jr., who voted on the bill the day after his victory over Holyoke Democrat David Bartley in the race to assume the Second Hampden and Hampshire Senate Seat vacated by Michael Knapik in August.
“It’s trying to help people who are on welfare get back to work through programs like FutureWorks in Holyoke and Springfield.” Humason said while raking leaves at his home yesterday. “It wasn’t very contentious, and was approved unanimously.”
“We got over twenty of our ammendments included,” he added. “Our caucus has sought to tighten up welfare qualifications, to crack down on fraud, and make sure people are getting (benefits) who really need them. It’s a good bill, and you can tell it’s a good bill because it passed unanimously.”
Boldyga, who has long made welfare reform a top priority, said the bill doesn’t go far enough in terms of cracking down on fraud and the trafficking of benefits.
“It’s appalling,” he said this summer regarding a revelation that some EBT card holders were harboring thousands of dollars on their cards. “We have people with EBT cards with a $7,000 balance – basically, they’re hoarding cash on their cards. Something should have been done about this a long time ago.”
This morning he said that while the bill is a step in the right direction, more can be done.
“We want the benefits to go to the people who need them,” Boldyga said. “I don’t think it goes far enough.”
He said that some of the proposed initiatives that didn’t make it into the bill included requirements for a valid social security number and a verification of income for those seeking benefits, along with increased penalities for trafficking.
“We’re also looking to add a member of the minority party to the Poverty Reduction Committee, because if there aren’t any checks and balances (on that committee), what’s the point?” he said, before adding that passing the bill was really a no-brainer for both Democrats and Republicans alike.
“There’s been so much going on (with the welfare system) that the majority party realized something had to be done or they were going to start losing seats.” Boldyga said.
