1,000,000 Lottery winner still on food stamps
Bronx Bombers
Posts: 2,208
DETROIT -
According to a study, 25 percent of Michigan households receive food assistance—hardly a surprising figure considering today's economic picture. What is surprising, however, is that one of those homes is home to a millionaire.
This fall, 24-year-old Amanda Clayton won $1 million from the Michigan State Lottery. Sure, someone else getting handed a huge check might make some a little jealous, but many were outraged at Clayton's winnings, as she was still using a Bridge card.
"People are about to lose their unemployment and these welfare recipients are spending our tax dollars foolishly," an upset tax payer wrote to Local 4. "Please do a story on lottery winners on welfare."
Local 4 tracked Clayton down to her Lincoln Park home where cameras spotted her and a U-Haul truck, getting ready to move into a new house—that she paid for in cash—now that she has struck it rich. She also bought a new car.
These purchases are nothing out of the ordinary for someone who just won the lottery, however hidden cameras followed Clayton grocery shopping, where she admitted she uses a Bridge card to pay for her items. She said she gets $200 each month, from taxpayers, to foot her food bill.
When confronted, Clayton said she didn't think she was doing anything wrong.
"I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn't, I thought maybe it was okay because I'm not working," she said.
She said she didn't actually get the full million, because after she took a lump sum, the total dropped down to $700,000. After taxes, it was just more than half a million, Clayton said.
Even still, Clayton said she thinks she still has a right to the $200 a month in state funds.
"I feel that it's okay because I mean, I have no income and I have bills to pay," she said. "I have two houses."
Needless to say, many taxpayers were quite upset with the situation. The Local 4 Defenders went to Ida Township to speak to Rep. Dale Zorn, who is pushing a bill to stop lottery winners from continuing to cash in on food assistance.
"Public assistance should be given to those in need of public assistance, not those that have found riches," Zorn said.
The bill has already passed the House, and Zorn is hoping it will pass the Senate soon.
"We need to have the lottery commission notify the state so that state can cross check those who are on assistance," Zorn said.
There are two different bills—one in the House, another in the Senate that have each passed which would require lottery winners of prizes of $1,000 or more to have their names cross checked with the Department of Human Services. If someone wins big, their food assistance would then be stopped.
Unless the law changes, it doesn't look like lottery winners will be changing their ways. Clayton said she will keep using her Bridge card until the state cuts her off. She said it's because she deserves it.
"It's just hard, you know. I'm struggling," she said.
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/inve ... index.html
Unreal
According to a study, 25 percent of Michigan households receive food assistance—hardly a surprising figure considering today's economic picture. What is surprising, however, is that one of those homes is home to a millionaire.
This fall, 24-year-old Amanda Clayton won $1 million from the Michigan State Lottery. Sure, someone else getting handed a huge check might make some a little jealous, but many were outraged at Clayton's winnings, as she was still using a Bridge card.
"People are about to lose their unemployment and these welfare recipients are spending our tax dollars foolishly," an upset tax payer wrote to Local 4. "Please do a story on lottery winners on welfare."
Local 4 tracked Clayton down to her Lincoln Park home where cameras spotted her and a U-Haul truck, getting ready to move into a new house—that she paid for in cash—now that she has struck it rich. She also bought a new car.
These purchases are nothing out of the ordinary for someone who just won the lottery, however hidden cameras followed Clayton grocery shopping, where she admitted she uses a Bridge card to pay for her items. She said she gets $200 each month, from taxpayers, to foot her food bill.
When confronted, Clayton said she didn't think she was doing anything wrong.
"I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn't, I thought maybe it was okay because I'm not working," she said.
She said she didn't actually get the full million, because after she took a lump sum, the total dropped down to $700,000. After taxes, it was just more than half a million, Clayton said.
Even still, Clayton said she thinks she still has a right to the $200 a month in state funds.
"I feel that it's okay because I mean, I have no income and I have bills to pay," she said. "I have two houses."
Needless to say, many taxpayers were quite upset with the situation. The Local 4 Defenders went to Ida Township to speak to Rep. Dale Zorn, who is pushing a bill to stop lottery winners from continuing to cash in on food assistance.
"Public assistance should be given to those in need of public assistance, not those that have found riches," Zorn said.
The bill has already passed the House, and Zorn is hoping it will pass the Senate soon.
"We need to have the lottery commission notify the state so that state can cross check those who are on assistance," Zorn said.
There are two different bills—one in the House, another in the Senate that have each passed which would require lottery winners of prizes of $1,000 or more to have their names cross checked with the Department of Human Services. If someone wins big, their food assistance would then be stopped.
Unless the law changes, it doesn't look like lottery winners will be changing their ways. Clayton said she will keep using her Bridge card until the state cuts her off. She said it's because she deserves it.
"It's just hard, you know. I'm struggling," she said.
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/inve ... index.html
Unreal
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
Godfather.
This. In 6 weeks, her money will be gone.
lol... sad, but true.
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
Uh, yeah. We all feel your pain.
That person is totally wrong to be taking from the tax payers the way she is though... I would like to remind people not to vilify welfare recipients in general though. From what I've been hearing, there has been a real tendency towards this lately. Like with that whole 'drug-test every welfare recipient' thing, and many people automatically connecting welfare to laziness. That is not cool. While there are scammers and bums around (and always will be), and there should be processes in place to try and weed them out, categorizing all welfare recipients like that is another step towards class warfare, and an undervaluing of human worth vs. monetary.
OK, I think this is wrong. But what about the state taxing a state-run lotto? What if I made a $10 dollar bet with someone and then only gave them $5 when they won because I had to claim my cut????
Yeah, taxes on lottery winnings is INSANE in the US!! I can't believe it! ... Canada doesn't tax winnings at all. Ever. If you win $1m in the lottery, you have $1m in your bank account. The only taxes you ever pay is sales taxes when you buy stuff. It's awesome. Lotteries are just a massive scam in the states. MASSIVE.
Of course, when you factor Canadian pricing into things it kind of evens out. $500,000 goes a lot further in the US than in Canada. Housing in Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal will eat up your lotto winnings pretty quickly.
Like, buying a million lottery tickets.
Hail, Hail!!!
I forget where it was, but a whole block of homes were for sale for 15,000 each.. in Michigan.
But I'm glad they cut her off, that was abuse of assistance plain and simple. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't request a refund from the date she won.
$500,000.00.
How many servings of Crack does that get?
Hail, Hail!!!
Just one, but it's REALLY big.
Fair enough, I'll buy that. But when you say "there should be processes to try and weed out the scammers and bums", what do you propose? Since you think drug testing is insensitive or unfair, what do you think would sufficiently protect the system from abuse while not offending legitimate users of welfare?
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
for old school people like me ...
the proud, the hard working, it increasingly becomes a great disappointment
in people and their character.
The band wagon is on roll though with more jumping on deserving or not
when it crashes and burns get in line for the bread
good thing bread is my favorite food
Take take take ... reminds me of another favorite Jack White lyric
It's probably too much to ask, but it would kick ass if she also had to reimburse the state for what she used unnecessarily.
Many people need a little help once in a while. Proud hard working or not.
I had free lunch from K-4th grade. I guess we were moochers.
But I've paid it back and then some, military service, good income = taxes.
Charity donations drafted monthly etc.
Welfare, food stamps, handouts, living off the system....
Is probably all her and her family have known for the last 30 years. Right?
Hard work and earning a living...Has never entered the equation.
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
of our food stamp program. Unfortunately this isn't the case for
many and it is abused.
Comes down really to being conscientious or being one who thinks they deserve
whether they truly need or not they deserve it cause everyone is doing it....
free free free ... take take take
I see the people now going to the free food distributuion center up the street from me.
The cars my goodness... expensive cars
the clothing these people wear...
they are not in true need they are taking food because it is free
this from people who truly need it to feed their kids.
And be banned from public assistance for life.
They should simply write into the public assistance law that if you win the lottery (pick an amount) and fail to notify social services, you must forfeit all your lottery winnings to the state.
I'm just thinking, if a person makes a ton of money selling a business or whatever for a one time payout, and they basically live off of that for the rest of their lives, can they then qualify for public assistance the next year since they really don't have any income?
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
I believe they factor any savings, investments, etc. into the equation. Otherwise, what would stop a CEO from retiring and collecting welfare while living off his savings?
Non-invasive investigation. Such as basic credit checks or property tax evaluations. Landlords can do credit checks, and property tax info I think is public information, so I don't think that is over the top. It would be a whole lot cheaper for the state too! Drug testing applies a terrible stigma to welfare recipients that actually does them social harm, and are also an invasion of their privacy rights. I think that whole drug testing thing was suggested out of pure and simple nastiness, frankly.