Free cars for Massachusetts poor

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Free cars for poor fuel road rage

Gov. Deval Patrick’s free wheels for welfare recipients program is revving up despite the stalled economy, as the keys to donated cars loaded with state-funded insurance, repairs and even AAA membership are handed out to get them to work.

But the program - fueled by a funding boost despite the state’s fiscal crash - allows those who end up back on welfare to keep the cars anyway.

“It’s mind-boggling. You’ve got people out there saying, ‘I just lost my job. Hey, can I get a free car, too?’ ” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading).

The Patrick administration decided last month to funnel an additional $30,000 to the nearly $400,000 annual car ownership program.

The program, which is provided by the State Department of Transitional Assistance, gives out about 65 cars a year, said DTA Commissioner Julia Kehoe.

The state pays for the car’s insurance, inspection, excise tax, title, registration, repairs and a AAA membership for one year at a total cost of roughly $6,000 per car.

The program, which started in 2006, distributes cars donated by non-profit charities such as Good News Garage, a Lutheran charity, which also does the repair work on the car and bills the state.

Kehoe defended the program, saying the state breaks even by cutting welfare payments to the family - about $6,000 a year.

“If you look at the overall picture, this helps make sure people aren’t staying on cash assistance. It’s a relatively short payment for a long-term benefit,” Kehoe said.

But Kehoe admitted about 20 percent of those who received a car ended up back on welfare, and while they lose the insurance and other benefits, they don’t have to return the car.

“Given the state’s fiscal condition, paying for AAA and auto inspection costs is outrageous,” said Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei (R-Wakefield). “There are so many families out there trying to deal with layoffs and pay cuts. You have to wonder what the state’s priorities are at this point.”

Applicants for cars must have a job or prove they could get one if they had the car in order to qualify. Once they have the wheels, they must send DTA their pay stubs to prove they are employed.

To get the cars, they must be unable to reach work by public transportation and have a clean driving record. The program is only available to families on welfare with children.

Kehoe said the bulk of cars go to places with less public transportation, such as Fitchburg, New Bedford and Lowell.

“I can’t believe there are no restrictions on how they use the car,” Jones said. “I just don’t see this as a core function of government.”

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional...p;position=also

[YuAndDan 153]

More liberal BS from a LIBERAL State! NYS is not much better.

Nothing is FREE, the hard working TAX PAYERS of the state end up paying for the NON-Productive ones.

If on welfare, then should be using the other state subsidized service PUBLIC TRANSIT! If cannot reach public transit, then they should live closer to the public transit system.

Edited May 7, 2009 by YuAndDan

[peejay 327]

More liberal BS from a LIBERAL State! NYS is not much better.

Nothing is FREE, the hard working TAX PAYERS of the state end up paying for the NON-Productive ones.

If on welfare, then should be using the other state subsidized service PUBLIC TRANSIT! If cannot reach public transit, then they should live closer to the public transit system.

I'll bet the usual "empathy & compassion" suspects will burst a hemorrhoid when they read your post. Better watch out...they will accuse you of being a Republican (or worst).

[SMOKE 1,426]

I'll bet the usual "empathy & compassion" suspects will burst a hemorrhoid when they read your post.

[Peikko 1,575]

I hope they get some good cars

[spookyturtle 9,466]

$6000 per car per year for insurance etc? Please. Inspections are 29, registration 55, title fee is paid once, AAA is about 50. Are these new $30,000 cars? Or do they spend $5000+ per year on repairs to a $300 car? Something stinks here.

[Ban Hammer 13,622]

More liberal BS from a LIBERAL State! NYS is not much better.

Nothing is FREE, the hard working TAX PAYERS of the state end up paying for the NON-Productive ones.

If on welfare, then should be using the other state subsidized service PUBLIC TRANSIT! If cannot reach public transit, then they should live closer to the public transit system.

I'll bet the usual "empathy & compassion" suspects will burst a hemorrhoid when they read your post. Better watch out...they will accuse you of being a Republican (or worst).

give them a skateboard, that's how i got around as a kid.

[jundp 191]

I'll bet the usual "empathy & compassion" suspects will burst a hemorrhoid when they read your post. Better watch out...they will accuse you of being a Republican (or worst worse).

Fixx0red

Actually, I think if it works, it's a good plan. I lived for years in an area with no public transportation and would have been lost without a car to drive to work. Though I do think if the people end up BACK on welfare they should forfeit the car.

[Peikko 1,575]

I expect the reason why they don't, is that it's probably more expensive to recover the car than let it go. After all, these are not new cars.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This seems like a silly endeaver and a wasteful public expenditure. It'd be a lot cheaper to offer monthly bus passes or reduced bus fare tickets.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

This seems like a silly endeaver and a wasteful public expenditure. It'd be a lot cheaper to offer monthly bus passes or reduced bus fare tickets.

Or bicycles. Now you can ride a bike to the bus stop, load the bike, get off at your stop, and pedal to work.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This seems like a silly endeaver and a wasteful public expenditure. It'd be a lot cheaper to offer monthly bus passes or reduced bus fare tickets.

Or bicycles. Now you can ride a bike to the bus stop, load the bike, get off at your stop, and pedal to work.

I don't know about riding a bike in the middle of the winter in MA, but certainly there are much cheaper ways to help the poor have adequate access to transportation than giving them a car and paying for the insurance.

[HannahP 119]

Why not just improve public transportation and thus benefit everyone?

I mean, not having a car really can impede a lot of things when you live in a place where public transportation isn't really an option and places are spaced very far apart (ie. suburbs!). When I lost my car, getting a job wasn't really an option because there wasn't reliable public transportation to get me where I needed to go. You have maybe a dozen or so employment options around bus stops or places that are within walking or cycling distance. But you probably have severe time and day restrictions because the bus doesn't run 24/7. Shopping for anything other than maybe a day's worth of groceries is nearly impossible; I can't imagine how much it would suck to have to buy for a family. Getting to the hospital or to doctor's appointments was absolutely impossible.

Wonder if anyone here has actually had to deal with not having a car in a poorly funded public transportation area/suburb?

[jundp 191]

Wonder if anyone here has actually had to deal with not having a car in a poorly funded public transportation area/suburb?

Yeah, I did for a while, and I was a single mom too. It was really difficult, even with the knowledge that I'd be getting my car fixed in a matter of weeks.

But I do like the idea of offering bus passes. Actually, I think more companies should do that across the board to promote the use of public transport.

[Ban Hammer 13,622]

Wonder if anyone here has actually had to deal with not having a car in a poorly funded public transportation area/suburb?

darmstadt, germany. and i had a bicycle.