“(CNN) -- Amanda Clayton hit it big playing the Michigan Lottery. Like many winners, she used her $1 million prize to buy a new house.
But the Lincoln Park, Michigan, resident is receiving money in another form -- $200 a month in state food assistance, according toCNN Detroit affiliate WDIV.
"I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn't, I thought, maybe, it was OK because I'm not working," Clayton, 24, told WDIV when it asked whether it was appropriate for her to receive the money.
Now a state lawmaker is trying to stop such assistance, which is not illegal. He says the food assistance should not go to those who have found riches through the lottery…”
I think a lot of people are going to say cut lottery winners off from any help. In fact I might be the only person that thinks the state should just follow the same rules that they have set up for everyone else.
If someone is eligible to get assistance they should get the help.
Now one million dollars is not that much money. In fact she got $500K after taxes. Of course she got a new house and a new car with the money. Not smart but I think when someone wins a lottery they think they are rich.
I am not sure just what sort of checking they do for assistance but I am sure they ask how much money you have and what your bills are and all sorts of questions. I bet you have to give them a bank statement and all sorts of information. So if she is eligible she should get the help.
What the Michigan Rep (Dale Zorn) wants to do is change the law so that anyone that wins more than $1,000.00 (that is one thousand dollars) will have to have the state conduct again an assets test. I bet it will cost the state more money to do the testing again that the state would save.
Sort of like the drug testing in FL for people trying to get assistance. Almost no one they are testing is on drugs. The testing is costing the state major bucks and the state is not saving any money.
Oh just in case you are wondering…. Of course Rep. Dale Zorn is a Republican.
Are there people ripping off welfare and assistance programs? Hell yes…
My problem is that Republicans always want to attack and go after poor people. They never want to cut the corporation welfare. They never want to help the little person. They want to piss on the little person.
Also Republicans say they are for less government but they always want to control and check on citizens. They want to check on your personal life. They want to decide what you can do in your bedroom and with who. They want to even decide if you can use birth control.
Update on above story: 03/09/2012
"(CNN) -- A Michigan woman who won the lottery but continued to receive food assistance from the state government has had her benefits pulled, officials said.
Amanda Clayton hit it big playing the Michigan Lottery. Like many winners, she used her $1 million prize to buy a new house.
But the Lincoln Park, Michigan, resident continued to receive money in another form -- $200 a month in state food assistance, according to CNN Detroit affiliate WDIV.
Her story made headlines, and on Thursday, the state's Department of Human Services announced that she is no longer getting the benefits.
According to Michigan law, welfare recipients must report any changes in assets or income to the agency within 10 days..."
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