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Friday, March 04, 2011

Missouri Welfare Benefits Being Spent In Hawaii

A News 4 Investigation reveals Missouri residents receiving food stamps and welfare payments are spending them in places like Hawaii, California, and Florida.

News 4 requested public information regarding these expenses through the Missouri Department of Social Services. The agency provided a state by state break down of where Missouri benefits are being spent, click here to see the list.

In January Missouri EBT cards were used to withdraw $362,682 in cash outside the state. During that same time period Missouri EBT cards purchased $3,521,974 worth of food outside Missouri. Those card users racked up $752 worth of ATM fees, they were also paid by taxpayers.

Many of the EBT purchases were in border states, but a large chunk of change was spent in hard to reach places like California, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Brian Hook runs Missouri Watchdog, a non partisan group that digs information out of government agencies. Hook says the transactions might not be fraud, but likely illustrate waste.

Hook said, "The first thing that jumps to my mind is where did they get the money to get to Hawaii and Alaska?"

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Some people that get foodstamps that are EBT based have to travel for work and might have to use them in other states. i really fail to see why this is anyones business where they are used. The foodstamp program is a federal program and can be used in any state in the US

dan said...

No, no Anon 9:57, The money is in Hawaii to keep them quiet about the truth regarding our Kenyan fake-president. They need to play along to keep the liberal ajenda alive and well, and if that comes at the expense of patriotic taxpayers, so be it.

Sorry to stomp all over your anti-American dreams, hippie.

Palin 2012

Anonymous said...

Insert theme from Twilight Zone after that. Geesh

Anonymous said...

It is our business. We work every day to pay for walfare and food stamps. We should know where it is being spent. So get digging!

Anonymous said...

You should know if it's spent fraudulently, and that's it. The rest is none of your business.