Unplugged Exclusive: Stimulus Funds for School Supplies Misused

(CBS)

Getting kids back to school with the clothes and supplies they need can strain the family budget. That's why the Governor of New York decided to use federal stimulus funds for a back-to-school program. Needy families got a one-time payment of $200 dollars per child to buy school supplies. It adds up to $140 million of your tax dollars.

Neasey Hendricks, single mother of five, says she's putting the money to good use.

"Definitely sneakers, try to save a little bit for a haircut, a couple of pairs of pants, some shirts, get the girls a few skirts," Hendricks says.

While few argued with the concept of helping low-income families, nobody anticipated the chaos that would come next.

On August 11th, the state of New York deposited the $140 million in stimulus money into the individual food stamp and welfare accounts of people on public assistance. Some saw their balance shoot up by a thousand dollars all at once. The idea was they would use their regular welfare benefits card, which acts like a debit card, to buy the school supplies. There was just one problem. The letter from the state telling them what the money was for didn't arrive until days later. By then, it was too late. See the Letter Sent to Recipients (PDF).

"No one questions the intention of this particular program. However there is an extraordinary distance between the good intention of the program and the implementation of the program," Monroe County's Commissioner of Health Services Kelly Reed said on Wednesday's edition of "Washington Unplugged," which first reported the story. (You can watch the show at left.)

County Executive Maggie Brooks says social workers were flooded with calls from merchants who were afraid fraud was being committed.

"We had different retailers calling us and saying people were coming in with their benefit transaction card, and they are purchasing flat screen TV's, iPods and video gaming systems," Brooks told CBS News. Brooks doesn't blame the recipients - she blames the state for not ensuring the funds were spent for school.

Businessman Josh Babin says the day stimulus money went into the welfare accounts, business at his Rochester cell phone store doubled. And he doesn't sell school supplies. "Most of them came in, picked up most of their accessories, most of their products."

Welfare recipients were also free to withdraw the money as cash. That led to an unexpected run on ATM's across the state. Brenda Smith, manager of a Wilson Farms store in Monroe County, said most of her increase in sales when the stimulus funds were disbursed were not in school supplies, but in "pre-pay cell or credit cards." She said her store's ATM was wiped empty.

Managers of three Wilson Farms convenience stores in Rochester also reported empty ATM machines and increases in beer, lotto and cigarette sales.

Managers of four Tops Markets stores in Rochester had similar stories. On West Avenue, the store's three ATM's were all depleted by noon on August 11th. "Large increase in volume of customers but minimal spoke in sales which were not in school supplies but rather candy racks at the register," stated investigative notes obtained by CBS News. So many welfare customers were seeking cash back; the stores implemented a $50.00 cash back limit on-the-spot. At the East Ridge Road location, the ATM ran out of money on August 11 as well. "Numerous clients came in and purchase minimal items to withdraw the $50.00 limit and then returned to other cashiers in the store in order to retrieve all the money out of their account," reads investigative notes. And on Upper Falls Blvd., the Tops Market reported "500 more customers" but "$4,000 less in sales" than usual. Also, ATM's containing $60,000 were entirely depleted.

On "Unplugged" Reed said one recipient "had $1000 dollars on their card and jumped over a period of a few minutes over eighteen lines in a Tops store buying something for forty nine cents for two dollars for fifty cents and getting fifty dollars back in cash," each time.

ATM's were also wiped out in hours at many Wegman's stores statewide and the owner of a Sunoco station described "scenes of panic" at her store, with public assistance customers flooding her ATM machine. Some of them, she says, immediately used the cash to buy cigarettes and beer.

Monroe County investigators sampled the accounts of more than 70 drug and alcohol rehabilitation clients and found more than half of them withdrew their back-to-stimulus funds entirely in cash.

New York Congressman Eric Massa (D-NY) supports the stimulus bill, but said this program is flawed. "It's a matter of accountability," Massa said. "Ensuring what's happening with the funding. You and I both know where there's crevices, the water will go through those crevices."

(CBS)

New York State officials defend the stimulus program saying no matter what welfare recipients purchased with the taxpayer funds, it served to stimulate the economy. State spokesman for the program, Kristen Proud said it stimulated the economy. Supporters accuse critics of making unfair stereotypes about welfare recipients. "We have as many examples of families using the dollars for school clothes, school uniforms, school supplies," Proud said when asked about reports of luxury items being purchased with the back-to-school stimulus funds.

In Rochester, the Rev. Marlowe V.N. Washington, Pastor of the Baber African Methodist Episcopal Church, contacted CBS News to say that hundreds of grateful local residents have been helped by the back-to-school funds, and that it's unfair for anyone to assume they didn't spend the money on school supplies. "That is offensive, attacking and mean spirited," Washington told us. "People need to hear how stimulus funds have benefited American families and not hurt them."

We asked the Inspector General on stimulus funds for comment on this stimulus project. Based on our report, I.G. spokesman Edward Pound told CBS News that his office has notified the HHS Inspector General to make sure that agency is aware of the problem. HHS is the department from which the back-to-school stimulus funds to New York State originated.

Because debit cards don't list what was bought, state officials say they'll never know how much of the $140 million actually went for school supplies. Those who bought luxury items didn't break any laws, because there were no strings attached to the money. Little consolation to taxpayers who were promised that they'd know how every dime of stimulus funds was spent.

"Washington Unplugged" appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.

[innocent0713]

THIS IS DEGRADING 2ALL US PEOPLE WHO WORK OUR BUTTS OFF ?& R STILL LOW INCOME FAMILY?S ?&PAY TAXES OUT.4THE PEOPLE ON WELFARE 2SIT HOME ON THERE BUTTS & COLLECT A CHECK.WELFARE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE 2WORK A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HOURS SOME WHERE OR DO COMMUNITY SERVICE IN ORDER 2BE ENTITLED 2THERE CHECK.I WISH I COULD SIT HOME &COLLECT THE SYSTEM & HAVE STUFF HANDED 2ME,THIS WHOLE DEAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE INA VOUCHER OR SO THEY COULDN?T GET THE CASH,THE ONLY PEOPLE SUFFERING HERE IS US WOKRING PEOPLE WHO W/-END UP PAYING IT BACK IN OUR TAXES.THEY TAKE THE MONEY & BUY HD BIG SCREEN TVS & GARBAGE THEY DON?T NEED.BUT THEY W/-SAY THERE CHILDREN COME 1SRT THIS SHOW THEY RNT EVEN THINKIN OF THERE CHILDREN THERE THINK OF THERE SELVES!!! WHAT A JOKE THIS WHOEL DEAL IS. WHAT ABOUT US WHO WORK & STILL CANT AFFORD 2BUT SCHOLL CLOTHES CAUSE OF DAY CARE & EXT??

[innocent0713]

In NY they people went to WALMART "go firgure cause walmart is about the children" Took the cash off bought cig,alcohol,big screen tvs,and ext..They should have made it where it was for school clothes and supplies only.They should have been vouchors or had been some type of debit card to only be used for that.And teh store should have had to submit the recepits also.OR be Audited to make sure that is what it was used for..But tehy made it like a NORMMAL debit card they went to the machine got the CASH and did what they wanted to. TO the parents who spend it on there children.thank you for caring for yoru children and make sure they had what they needed for school..

[nolapearl]

It was a good idea in theory and I'm sure many parents used it for school supplies. They should have sent out special debit cards to be used for school supplies and school clothes only. I guess that was too simple a solution.

[enwr77]

I live in Rochester New York. It is the major and only city in Maggie Brooks' Monroe County. There is no love between the democratic city and the surrounding republican suburbs. Most of the county?s minorities live in the democratic city of Rochester. The remainder of the county is made up of majority white suburbs. I am not surprised with the County Executive Maggie Brooks? comments on the monies for school and how it was spent. I hear no comments on those who spent money on school supplies. I hear no comments on how the withdrawals at Tops were spent. The Tops on West Avenue is in a predominantly African American neighborhood fostered by our previous mayor who was also our first African American mayor. Recently the staff of the Tops has made a major ethnic change and mistreat the largely minority customers. Monroe County republicans associate welfare recipients with minorities and blame the deficit on welfare programs. This is policy as usual in Monroe County to keep money, financial choice and independence away from its minority population. What if the family already did without to buy school supplies before receiving the stimulus monies and now use it for what the family has done without? This would be financial independence. School supplies are purchased during the entire school year not just at the time the money was received. Who is Maggie Brooks and the businesses who are angry that the monies were not given directly to them to say when a family chooses or needs to purchases school supplies. Social programs really benefit those who end up with the cash and not the program?s recipients. i.e., HEAP benefits the utility companies not the recipients.

[dmb35]

Stimulus was huge mistake. Some people want a handout, period. Something for nothing, it's the entitlement attitude. Just what Obama wants. Government dependancy. We'll get there yet. He is starting on the public school students Tuesday with his propaganda. One of the posters he sent to schools says, "I pledge allegiance to the earth ..." (don't remember the rest of it, but it is sickening.

[boatdocster]

140 million - chump change compared to the 16 BILLION we wasted in no bid Halliburton contracts compliments of Dickless Cheney (and that's only the money ***** diverted to Halliburton from 03/2003 to 03/2006 - I'm sure the grand total is much higher).

How many school lunches and teachers could we have purchased for 16 BILLION DOLLARS?

[formrusmcsgt]

New York State officials defend the stimulus program saying no matter what welfare recipients purchased with the taxpayer funds, it served to stimulate the economy.
---
Now, how stupid is that?

[tincup356]

Aggie jokes are out , they have been replaced by Untied States government official jokes,,,,where stupidity is a daily happening. They had a movie on last month that depicted the world as totally stupid led by corporate backed government,,,,, I'm beginning to believe it might be a glance into the future, Supporters of BOTH parties are BLIND,,,,cannot they see?,,,,,that their precious party , DOES NOT REPRESENT THEM,,,,they represent corporate America,,,,,whose greed is fed by Lobby dollar legislation they get from BOTH parties. People should be ashamed to admit supporting EITHER bunch,,,,they are just the East coast version of ,,,"The Crypts and the Bloods".....In reality,,,,,they are TRAITORS guilty of conspiracy with corporate America to defraud the American people.,,,they should ALL be charged with TREASON.

[LCCLYDE]

Its bad that the money was spent on beer and cigarettes but any kind of spending will help the economy.Heaven help us if Anheiser-Busch and RJ Reynolds goes the way of GM and Chrysler.

[jsd330]

They shouldn't have put the money into accounts. Vouchers should have been given out that were only good for school supplies or childrens clothing. What did they think the majority of these people would do with the extra money.

[the_Candor]

This wasn't a bad idea but NY did it without any thought. Mail can take days to make it any where. what they must have done was send the letter out a day before they made the transfer.
it just wasn't a well excuted plan. :(