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Assembly Budget Proposal Will Help Neediest Families
"With the state's growing poverty level, a public assistance grant increase is long overdue," Maisel said. "Fami-lies on welfare are the poorest of the poor. For example, a family of three living in New York State is forced to survive on a cash allowance of $291 a month. It is virtually impossible for families living in this state - especially New York City - to survive on such a stipend, let alone succeed." The last public assistance grant in-crease occurred in 1990. Since then, the cost of food, transportation, energy, and housing has dramatically in-creased, leaving public assistance re-cipients in dire straits. For example, a family of three living in New York City receives a monthly amount of $691 - $400 of which is a shelter allowance, which almost always goes directly to the landlord. This leaves the family with only $291 to cover all other monthly expenses. The struggling economy and strict federal work requirements are crucial factors when addressing the effectiveness of the public assistance grant. "The goal of public assistance is to help families get back on their feet so that they may obtain permanent em-ployment. We can't expect recipients to focus on skill development and job training when they are constantly worried about their family's survival," Assemblyman Maisel said.
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