[HPN] Welfare Reform: PROTESTERS demand end to 5-year time limit in MN FWD FWD

[Tom Boland]

http://www.wcco.com/news/stories/news-20000201-235403.html
FWD  WCCO-TV / February 1, 2000 - 8:10 p.m. CST

     GROUP PROTESTS WELFARE RESTRICTIONS

     WANT THE FIVE-YEAR RESTRICTION ABOLOSHED

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, USA -- More than 100 protestors came to the state
capitol steps in St. Paul Tuesday to protest the five-year restrictions on
welfare.

The protestors, many arriving by bus from as far away as Duluth, Minn., say
they want time restrictions on welfare to end.

The five-year limit on welfare was designed by the Legislature to make
Minnesotans on public assistance more self-sufficient and responsible for
themselves, WCCO-TV reported.

But welfare advocates from around the state are saying that the welfare
system is not working.

Alberta Fairbanks, a welfare advocate, says that many of the problems
facing welfare recipients are directly due to the restrictions.

"There is so much homeless people in Duluth and those are the people we're
concerned about," Fairbanks said. "The youth -- there are so many youth
that are homeless."

Protestors at the capitol say that homelessness is often a result of the
five-year limit on welfare known as M-FIP.

"We're not asking for a handout, we're asking for help -- to help us out of
poverty," welfare advocate Chili George said. "M-FIP laws will not let us
out of poverty, it only puts us back deeper into poverty."

Protestors are calling for lawmakers to put an end to the five-year limit,
but their voices may not be heard this session. Gov. Jesse Ventura says he
won't take up the issue until next year.

"In many ways we should be your last resort," Ventura said.

Many protesting on the capitol steps, however, say that the governor's
answer is not good enough.

"It needs to be torn down and reconstructed where it will work for the
people [and] bring them out of poverty and off M-FIP forever," George said.

Since the state's push for welfare reform began, Hennepin County has seen
only a slight decline in its caseload, WCCO-TV reported.

END FORWARD

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