Welfare State Growing In Florida?

LABELLE, FL. -- The welfare state is bigger than ever despite a decade of policies designed to wean poor people from public aid. According to a recent story in the Tallahassee Democrat, the number of families receiving cash benefits from welfare has plummeted since the government imposed time limits on the payments a decade ago. But other programs for the poor, including Medicaid, food stamps and disability benefits, are bursting with new enrollees.

The result: nearly one in six people rely on some form of public assistance, a larger share than at any time since the government started measuring two decades ago. Critics of the welfare overhaul say the numbers offer fresh evidence that few former recipients have become self-sufficient, even though millions have moved from welfare to work. They say the vast majority have been forced into low-paying jobs without benefits and few opportunities to advance.

Proponents of the changes in welfare say programs that once discouraged work now offer support to people in low-paying jobs. They point to expanded eligibility rules for food stamps and Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor, that enable people to keep getting benefits even after they start working.

In rural counties like Hendry and Glades, despite the government programs available for public assistance, getting any employment at all is still an obstacle for many. Hendry and Glades county, traditionally have the highest unemployment rates in Florida, usually about three times higher than the Florida average.