State Welfare Program Examined

There's reaction today to a startling report from the office of the state auditor about who receives welfare in Massachusetts. In case you missed it, State Auditor Suzanne Bump has identified more than eleven hundred welfare recipients in the Commonwealth who are--dead. If true, it means somebody, or some people have fraudulently pocketed almost 2.4 million dollars in state benefits.

The Auditor also raises concerns about another 15 million dollars in "suspicious transactions" over the past two years, involving electronic benefit cards that were used outside of Massachusetts. And this isn't the first time these issues have come light. Last January, Daniel J. Curley, the Commissioner of Transitional Assistance, resigned after his agency failed to verify the eligibility of recipients, possibly costing the state some $25 million dollars

But there are critics of the latest report from the state auditor, who say it exaggerates the problem.

Stacey Monahan, Interim Commissioner, Department of Transitional Assistance

Office of the State Auditor: DTA needs to strengthen efforts to protect, maximize resources

Department of Transitional Assistance: 100 Day Action Plan