Mississippi News
Bill would help Mississippi welfare recipients create savings accounts
Bill would help Mississippi welfare recipients create savings accounts
A bill pending in the state Senate would provide a $2-to-$1 match for Mississippi welfare recipients to help them create savings accounts.
“Of the 100 most un-banked communities in the country, 17 are in Mississippi,” said Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson, co-author of Senate Bill 2634 along with Sen. Chris Caughman, R-Mendenhall.
Horhn said the program, similar to ones being run by a majority of other states, would be funded up to about $1 million with federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families money, with the goal of helping people get off welfare.
Horhn said it would help poor families create savings accounts, provide them with financial literacy training — which would be required for the program — and that the savings would not affect their eligibility for TANF benefits. He said it would only apply to people with net incomes of less than $10,000, and at most only about 3,700 people would qualify.
“I believe this is a wise use of resources and helping people with financial literacy and helping them to become financially stable,” Horhn said. “Forty other states are doing this, and they are seeing people being moved off the welfare rolls.”
But passage of the measure out of Senate committees brought philosophical and political debate. The bill was passed from committee with a “reverse repealer,” meaning it could not be passed into law without much more debate and changes.
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, but my concern is that this is a financial inducement from taxpayers’ money … federal money is still taxpayers’ money,” said Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville. “The taxpayers are being taken advantage of twice with this program. No one is saying we shouldn’t be teaching financial literacy. But this takes dollars from taxpayers and redistributes it to other taxpayers.”
Hohrn countered that TANF “is a program with a cycle of dependency, and this is a program trying to end that cycle and provide financial independence.” Sen. David Parker, R-Olive Branch, also defended the bill as worth trying, and questioned whether those philosophically opposed to spending the tax dollars pick and choose when they stand by that philosophy.
Parker also noted that Mississippi has tens of millions of dollars in unspent TANF funds.
Mississippi’s welfare program has been rocked by scandal and state and federal criminal investigations and charges into millions of dollars allegedly misspent or stolen.
READ MORE: Mississippi spent lowest welfare total ever in 2020, one year after massive scandal
The proposed savings program would provide matching funds up to $2,000 for a qualified individual and $4,000 for a family. The program would include financial literacy training for beneficiaries, and they would be limited in how they could spend the savings to only large items such as college education, purchasing a home, or purchasing a vehicle for work.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Ole Miss women get pair of double-doubles and roll to 83-65 March Madness win over Ball State
SUMMARY: Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin found solace in returning to a different arena in Waco, Texas, following a disappointing previous tournament experience. The No. 5 seed Ole Miss Rebels redeemed themselves with an 83-65 victory over 12th-seeded Ball State in the NCAA Tournament’s first round. Starr Jacobs led the Rebels with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Kennedy Todd-Williams and Madison Scott each scored 15 points. Ole Miss dominated rebounding, leading 52-32, and will face fourth-seeded Baylor next. Coach McPhee-McCuin noted the team’s evolution since their last visit and the significance of playing in Texas, where Jacobs feels at home.
The post Ole Miss women get pair of double-doubles and roll to 83-65 March Madness win over Ball State appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 21-23
SUMMARY: This weekend (March 21-23), Mississippi offers a range of exciting events. Highlights include Hal’s Marching MALfunction Second Line Stomp and Jessie Robinson’s blues performance in Jackson, as well as the Natchez Food & Wine Festival and the Natchez Little Theatre’s production of *This Side of Crazy*. There are also numerous exhibitions like *Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South* in Jackson and *Gold in the Hills* in Vicksburg. Other events include the 48th Annual Crawfish Classic Tennis Tournament in Hattiesburg, karaoke nights in Laurel, and a variety of family-friendly activities across the state.
The post Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 21-23 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 14-16
SUMMARY: This weekend (March 14-16) in Mississippi offers a variety of events. In Jackson, iconic saxophonist Boney James performs at the convention center, while the JXN Food & Wine festival showcases culinary talents. The LeFleur Museum District hosts a “Week of Wonder,” and several exhibitions, including “Of Salt and Spirit,” celebrate Black quilters. Natchez features the Spring Pilgrimage tours, a reenactment of Annie Stewart’s story, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. In Hattiesburg, comedian Rob Schneider performs, and various events like a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl and a talent show will take place throughout the area.
The post Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 14-16 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
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