Arizona is still attacking the poor stronger than ever as new legislation is being introduced to drastically limit welfare assistance. Later this year will mark my five year anniversary of leaving Arizona. I spent over ten years living in Southern Arizona and the first few years was not so bad but things took a turn for the worse when Jan Brewer came into office. Lets not going into that rant so here is what is happening in Arizona today.
The Arizona legislature is attempting to enact the strictest welfare rules in the country. Most states have a lifetime limit of welfare benefits at five years. Arizona has now lowered that limit to one year. 12 months is the new lifetime limit for welfare. If you are on welfare and qualifying for the may payment it is already very low. For a family of two it is a whole $275 per month. That is not going to go very far.
“I tell my kids all the time that the decisions we make have rewards or consequences, and if I don’t ever let them face those consequences they can’t get back on the path to rewards,” Republican Sen. Kelli Ward of Lake Havasu City said during debate on the budget. “As a society we are encouraging people at times to make poor decisions and then we reward them.”
That really says it all. Senator Ward is estimating that this will safe the state $4 million per year when they kick of the 1,600 families which are currently past the new 12 month limit.