A Welcome Joining of the Debate : WELFARE WATCH: Senate Democrats offer a promising reform

The Senate Democrats have joined the state debate on welfare reform, initiated by Gov. Pete Wilson, with a plan to fully fund the state “workfare” program and give poor mothers two years to get off welfare--or lose 75% of their benefits.

Unlike the governor’s proposal to cut welfare, across the board, by up to 25% for recipients who receive benefits for longer than six months, the Senate Democrats’ plan contains incentives to help recipients make the transition from welfare to work in two years. But what would happen to poor children whose parents lose three-fourths of their benefits?

This question is not answered in the legislation, sponsored by Sen. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena). Thompson, however, may have more insight than most politicians into what will work to get people off welfare because his father was the Napa County welfare director. He deserves credit for tackling a stubborn and politically explosive problem.

Key to Thompson’s plan is a $200-million increase for the Greater Avenues to Independence Program (GAIN) to provide classes and job training for every “able-bodied” welfare recipient who has children older than age 2. That is an expensive proposition that the state might not be able to afford at this time, given the dismal condition of California’s current balance sheet. A big boost in the GAIN budget could pay off in the long run, however, if it would allow more recipients to make a quick transition from dependency to independence. But how many poor and uneducated parents would make that transition in two years?

Welfare mothers who found work would get another reward in addition to their paychecks. If federal authorities approved, the mothers would keep 30% of their benefits until their income exceeded 185% of the poverty level.

Welfare recipients who could not find jobs after two years would have to take unpaid jobs with the county to avoid losing most of their benefits. Smaller counties probably could come up with enough jobs. Larger counties, like Los Angeles, probably could not, so some recipients would not lose benefits for refusing to help themselves.

Unemployed fathers of children on welfare would also participate in the unpaid jobs program if they could not pay child support. To collect more child support from working fathers, the legislation would beef up the district attorneys’ enforcement efforts. Every $1 spent on child support programs reduces welfare spending by $1.70.

Reducing welfare spending is the point of legislative proposals by Wilson, the Senate Democrats and the Assembly Democrats, who have offered the most humane avenue to independence. A legislative compromise should eliminate the need for the governor’s ballot initiative and lead to pragmatic yet compassionate reform that does not penalize California’s poor children.