Page 30 - issue
P. 30
Welfare.” Although it is not my nature tuition for my children as well. Now ment taxation system and social safety
to write letters to the editor, this article that I have a job again, I suffer from net programs are structured in such a
really caught my attention in its brutal high stress, incredibly long hours, and way as to discourage people from earn-
honesty and truthfulness. As a tax pre- I am lucky if I can find any time in my ing more money. It is a courageous
parer working for a large regional law day for my children and myself. I have topic to broach, especially in our com-
firm, I found it fascinating how there is massive food and health care bills to munity, where there is a lot of reliance
a refusal in this country to “call a boot. on these programs for extended peri-
spade a spade.” At one point in my ods of time.
professional career I had the unfortu- Of course, I was grateful for the ben-
nate circumstance to be “between efits I received, which tided me over a Mr. Pollock did not go far enough,
jobs” and actually had to step foot into rough time, but I would never want to however, in articulating the challenges
a social services office. I saw firsthand be on welfare permanently, despite the that many face in weaning themselves
what is really going on there. The sad above enumerated “advantages.” I off the variety of programs available to
reality is that entitlement programs – could see, though, that for many of the them. While he focused on the federal
food stamps and other government people I encountered in the social and local tax rates of the incremental
programs – are so financially valuable services office this was a way of life – earned dollar – that is, every dollar
that I oftentimes wonder why I am whether through no fault of their own above the base salary (such as a moth-
working at all. As someone who was or because they are gaming the “sys- er’s babysitting income) – he did not
unemployed, I was eligible for hun- tem.” focus on the “taxation” of a family’s
dreds of dollars a month in food increased earnings through reduced
stamps, credited every month to a It is a top priority for us as a socie- access to communal chesed programs.
credit card that is not in the slightest ty to find a solution to the welfare
embarrassing to swipe in a supermar- problem. Pollock’s article is a start. Baruch Hashem, the Jewish com-
ket. I was eligible for WIC, the earned munity is very generous in protecting
income tax credits, the homestead tax A TAX PREPARER the less fortunate and those experienc-
credit, and Medicaid. I was able to ing financial setbacks. This includes
spend more of my day with family, and TO THE EDITOR, year-round benefits like school and
yes, I was able to obtain reduced Congratulations to Eli Pollock and camp tuition assistance as well as food
and financial assistance from organiza-
the WWW for the courage to publish tions such as Ahavas Yisrael. For those
last issue’s “Fair Share and Welfare.” I
agree with his premise that the govern-
26 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
to write letters to the editor, this article that I have a job again, I suffer from net programs are structured in such a
really caught my attention in its brutal high stress, incredibly long hours, and way as to discourage people from earn-
honesty and truthfulness. As a tax pre- I am lucky if I can find any time in my ing more money. It is a courageous
parer working for a large regional law day for my children and myself. I have topic to broach, especially in our com-
firm, I found it fascinating how there is massive food and health care bills to munity, where there is a lot of reliance
a refusal in this country to “call a boot. on these programs for extended peri-
spade a spade.” At one point in my ods of time.
professional career I had the unfortu- Of course, I was grateful for the ben-
nate circumstance to be “between efits I received, which tided me over a Mr. Pollock did not go far enough,
jobs” and actually had to step foot into rough time, but I would never want to however, in articulating the challenges
a social services office. I saw firsthand be on welfare permanently, despite the that many face in weaning themselves
what is really going on there. The sad above enumerated “advantages.” I off the variety of programs available to
reality is that entitlement programs – could see, though, that for many of the them. While he focused on the federal
food stamps and other government people I encountered in the social and local tax rates of the incremental
programs – are so financially valuable services office this was a way of life – earned dollar – that is, every dollar
that I oftentimes wonder why I am whether through no fault of their own above the base salary (such as a moth-
working at all. As someone who was or because they are gaming the “sys- er’s babysitting income) – he did not
unemployed, I was eligible for hun- tem.” focus on the “taxation” of a family’s
dreds of dollars a month in food increased earnings through reduced
stamps, credited every month to a It is a top priority for us as a socie- access to communal chesed programs.
credit card that is not in the slightest ty to find a solution to the welfare
embarrassing to swipe in a supermar- problem. Pollock’s article is a start. Baruch Hashem, the Jewish com-
ket. I was eligible for WIC, the earned munity is very generous in protecting
income tax credits, the homestead tax A TAX PREPARER the less fortunate and those experienc-
credit, and Medicaid. I was able to ing financial setbacks. This includes
spend more of my day with family, and TO THE EDITOR, year-round benefits like school and
yes, I was able to obtain reduced Congratulations to Eli Pollock and camp tuition assistance as well as food
and financial assistance from organiza-
the WWW for the courage to publish tions such as Ahavas Yisrael. For those
last issue’s “Fair Share and Welfare.” I
agree with his premise that the govern-
26 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
