Michigan Legislature needs to ask why welfare recipients carry huge balances on their Bridge Cards
October 04, 2011
How can a welfare recipient in Michigan collect benefits in our state and let them acculumulate month to month with the balance reaching more than $5,000? Read this column by Lansing State Journalist John Schneider who writes how one recipient uses the state's Bridge Card, an electronic system where a card is used to make purchases, to accumulates a balance of $5,176.34.
The Meijers cashier who mailed Schnieder a copy of the receipt with the Bridge Card balance says such accumulations are common.
This comes during a time when the state of Michigan is starting to limit the number of years state residents can receive welfare payments.
The Michigan Legislature needs to use its committee oversight to answer questions about how these programs are being used and whether the truly needy are getting the help.