Well that worked out well...

[Gargamel]

So charge the person that needs the money for the clean test. Makes a lot of sense. The whole premise of this bill was to have the people that test clean NOT PAY FOR THE TEST.

No, The whole purpose of the bill was to not have people using illegal drugs access to "our" money and to save a little dough as well.

For those that pass the test, its a measly fucking 30 dollars for access to a whole lot more of needed support that you will receive.... fuck, just make it 3 "easy" deductions of 10 dollars each over the first 3 checks...

[Snatch Napkin]

I see where you're getting confused now.

With the figures posted throughout the article, it seems like the word "annually" is a typo that was missed by a lazy editor who simply uses spell check.

The math doesn't add up if it were $3,400- $8,200 a year.

[Gargamel]

They are tested randomly, and if tested positive, they are denied future benefits, so the only thing that could happen would be to bill the person that failed, and considering they are on welfare I doubt they have the cash/would pay when billed.

Stevo

If you apply for benefits, you should be tested.... period.

[GSRGuy94]

Let's just work with the raw numbers... they say that ~1,500 people will be tested every month, at a cost of $30 per test.. If 2% fail every month, that is 30 people. The cost for all 1,500 tests is $45,000/month, but since 30 people fail, the state *only* has to pay for $44,100 of that cost. So far, they are $44,100 in the red.

The average savings in a month for them denying those 30 people who failed their welfare is $134. That is a savings of $4,020. Which is a savings of $48k+ in one year. But they already paid the $44,100 for that month of testing. But I think the real issue here is going to be the fact that the 30 people who fail that test the first month, aren't going to be getting tested the next month. And that 2% failure rate is not going to hold up month after month. I see this getting real expensive, real quick.

[GSRGuy94]

If you apply for benefits, you should be tested.... period.

They were tested. And the VAST majority passed. So they get their money back. If you are on probation and you get drug tested, and you pass, you don't have to pay for the test.

[Gargamel]

Let's just work with the raw numbers... they say that ~1,500 people will be tested every month, at a cost of $30 per test.. If 2% fail every month, that is 30 people. The cost for all 1,500 tests is $45,000/month, but since 30 people fail, the state *only* has to pay for $44,100 of that cost. So far, they are $44,100 in the red.

The average savings in a month for them denying those 30 people who failed their welfare is $134. That is a savings of $4,020. Which is a savings of $48k+ in one year. But they already paid the $44,100 for that month of testing. But I think the real issue here is going to be the fact that the 30 people who fail that test the first month, aren't going to be getting tested the next month. And that 2% failure rate is not going to hold up month after month. I see this getting real expensive, real quick.

IF testing was a requirement, if you failed you were denied future benefits, and the cost of the applicant's test were subtracted from the support (if passed), you are still saving money over the course of the money they "would" have received.

Granted, that is not how the law is set up at this time....

[stevo]

If you apply for benefits, you should be tested.... period.

Where did I say they SHOULDN'T?

Stevo

[Gargamel]

You said they were tested randomly.... I said that ALL applicants should be tested.

I think we agree that they all should....

[stevo]

You said they were tested randomly.... I said that ALL applicants should be tested.

I think we agree that they all should....

They are tested before they qualify, if they fail, they get no check. Now tell me, how the people that fail are going to have the amount for the test removed from a check that they never get?

Stevo

[Gargamel]

They are tested before they qualify, if they fail, they get no check. Now tell me, how the people that fail are going to have the amount for the test removed from a check that they never get?

Stevo

What I'm saying is, if they fail, they will not get benefits... so the state gets stuck with 30 dollars on the 2% instead of the hundreds\thousands they would have had to dole out (for the 2%) if they would have been approved...

Those that pass would get the cost deducted from their check...

Either I'm missing something here or I shouldn't try to look at this crap while working... LOL

[46Tbird]

This is the most ridiculous part of the entire story. Give me a break. Even a crackhead can't live on $134/mo.

On average, a welfare recipient costs the state $134 in monthly benefits...

If all they're getting is an AVERAGE of $134, then who is getting less? No one is getting less than that, it's not even worth the drive to cash the check for that little. That figure is obviously bullshit...

[CJ]

What this article fails to mention is these figures are compounding. The savings are permanent reductions. There is without question a savings here. Regardless of the bad explanation they provide. Generally, the more people that are bumped off welfare, the better it benefits the economy. Not just from a expense perspective, but a large portion (or even a small percentage, depending on what you believe) would get into the workforce. Welfare and unemployment hurt our economy tremendously. Pulling from another article on the same press release, keep in mind this is only for new applicants - NOT existing recipients. In my opinion it should be mandated to all recipients - and the costs deducted from their checks.

[Broncojohnny]

This is the most ridiculous part of the entire story. Give me a break. Even a crackhead can't live on $134/mo.



If all they're getting is an AVERAGE of $134, then who is getting less? No one is getting less than that, it's not even worth the drive to cash the check for that little. That figure is obviously bullshit...

Because they probably aren't including federal dollars in that amount, just state dollars. But they are sure including them in the $175 million.

[Forever_frost]

If you fail the drug test you should be barred for life. Not for a year, life.

[SMEGMA STENCH]

welfare shouldnt exist. I'm all for supporting the disabled but beyond that no kind of benefits should exist other than for the military. They deserve it and they're such a tiny minority of the total population that no one would even notice the difference if that was all we paid for.

To me it should go like this:

"Are you disabled? Can you possibly work? Oh you had too many kids? Well that sounds like your own doing, and we're not responsible. Guess you better get two jobs then huh?"