Lucille
07-09-2012, 12:47 PM
This guy can't be serious. MA taxpayers must be outraged.
Gov. Deval Patrick vetoes budget bill’s EBT reforms (http://bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20220709gov_vetoes_budget_bills_ebt_reforms_patric ks_move_will_allow_buys_banned_by_legislature)
Patrick’s move will allow buys banned by Legislature
Gov. Deval Patrick’s failure to fully embrace the Legislature’s EBT reforms has reignited the debate over the fraud-ravaged welfare benefits card system — raising criticism he’s leaving loopholes open to allow the purchase of controversial goods with taxpayers’ money.
In a veto statement yesterday, Patrick slammed his reform-intent rivals for “political grandstanding” with their efforts to ban EBT buys of guns, porn, tattoos, jewelry and manicures, insisting reforms were already on track without the Legislature’s meddling. That drew return fire from irate lawmakers.
“A lot of people in the Legislature, and a lot of taxpayers for that matter, believe there are a lot of problems with our EBT system,” said state Sen. Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth). “Some of us have worked hard to try to address those problems. Some of us actually take our jobs seriously, and to be accused of political grandstanding, I think it’s irresponsible and immature of the governor to speak that way.”
While signing the state’s $32.5 billion budget yesterday, Patrick rejected an outside section containing the welfare benefits card reforms that had been hammered out with bi-partisan support in the House and Senate — an effort spearheaded by House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop).
[...]
His veto rejected bans on the use of EBT cards for tattoos, guns, porn, body piercings, jewelry, fines and bail. However, he left standing bans of the use of EBT cards in tattoo parlors, gun shops, casinos, cruise ships, strip clubs and adult entertainment centers, saying the independent EBT Card Commission had ruled out the idea of banning specific products “for reasons of feasibility, enforceability (and) cost.”
“I see no reason, other than political grandstanding, to deviate from that basic conclusion,” Patrick wrote.
"Wait, you mean you can't spend other people's money to pay for a lap dance? What crazy form of inhumane austerity is this (http://www.zerohedge.com/news/your-ebt-card-has-been-denied-spearmint-rhino)."
Man Defends Buying Cigarettes with Government Assistance (http://reason.com/blog/2012/07/09/man-defends-buying-cigarettes-with-gover)
ETA: NOT NH! MA. If a mod has time, please change my mistake in the title. Thanks!
Gov. Deval Patrick vetoes budget bill’s EBT reforms (http://bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20220709gov_vetoes_budget_bills_ebt_reforms_patric ks_move_will_allow_buys_banned_by_legislature)
Patrick’s move will allow buys banned by Legislature
Gov. Deval Patrick’s failure to fully embrace the Legislature’s EBT reforms has reignited the debate over the fraud-ravaged welfare benefits card system — raising criticism he’s leaving loopholes open to allow the purchase of controversial goods with taxpayers’ money.
In a veto statement yesterday, Patrick slammed his reform-intent rivals for “political grandstanding” with their efforts to ban EBT buys of guns, porn, tattoos, jewelry and manicures, insisting reforms were already on track without the Legislature’s meddling. That drew return fire from irate lawmakers.
“A lot of people in the Legislature, and a lot of taxpayers for that matter, believe there are a lot of problems with our EBT system,” said state Sen. Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth). “Some of us have worked hard to try to address those problems. Some of us actually take our jobs seriously, and to be accused of political grandstanding, I think it’s irresponsible and immature of the governor to speak that way.”
While signing the state’s $32.5 billion budget yesterday, Patrick rejected an outside section containing the welfare benefits card reforms that had been hammered out with bi-partisan support in the House and Senate — an effort spearheaded by House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop).
[...]
His veto rejected bans on the use of EBT cards for tattoos, guns, porn, body piercings, jewelry, fines and bail. However, he left standing bans of the use of EBT cards in tattoo parlors, gun shops, casinos, cruise ships, strip clubs and adult entertainment centers, saying the independent EBT Card Commission had ruled out the idea of banning specific products “for reasons of feasibility, enforceability (and) cost.”
“I see no reason, other than political grandstanding, to deviate from that basic conclusion,” Patrick wrote.
"Wait, you mean you can't spend other people's money to pay for a lap dance? What crazy form of inhumane austerity is this (http://www.zerohedge.com/news/your-ebt-card-has-been-denied-spearmint-rhino)."
Man Defends Buying Cigarettes with Government Assistance (http://reason.com/blog/2012/07/09/man-defends-buying-cigarettes-with-gover)
ETA: NOT NH! MA. If a mod has time, please change my mistake in the title. Thanks!