Ending the week on weird note, a lottery winner in Michigan continued to receive food stamps after banking her $1 million dollar prize! Is this really double dipping, though? She won money from the state lottery, so she banked it, but she's still unemployed, so she decided to continue collecting food stamps to feed her family. Is that bad? Considering many others are stealing for this country as well? She just happened to get caught!
The story that went viral this week goes like this.....Michigan's Department of Human Services recently cut off benefits for 24-year-old, Amanda Clayton, who banked half a million dollars playing the state's lottery, while continuing to pay for her groceries with food stamps. Clayton was busted by a local television station using her public assistance benefits, which was worth $200 a month for five months after winning it big. A smart person might have invested a portion of that million somehow to make more money rather than just letting it sit in a bank.
Clayton stated that she thought the state would cut would cut her off, but since they didn't, she deemed it okay to continue using it because she's not working. She also claimed that she needed the money because she, just like the rest of America, is unemployed and had bills on two houses to pay, and that she's struggling! You're not alone, sister! I'm sitting here writing a blog for crying out loud!
Clayton won $1 million dollars, but took the $700,000 lump sum and said that she pocketed $500,000 after taxes. Michigan's Department of Human Services say that they depend on people to be honest about their income levels. Yeah, well hello! He income level hasn't changed! She's still unemployed! The girl just got lucky one time and had a one time pay off of $500,000. What happens when that money runs out? She can't apply for food stamps anymore? That's kind of screwed up!
Department of Human Services say that they rely on clients being forthcoming about their actual financial status. If they are not, and continue to accept benefits, they may face criminal investigation and be required to pay those benefits back. Okay, wait! So, the girl won a million, chose the lump sum to only receive $700,000, and then after taxes only received $500,000. She only received half her prized because of the state. Don't you think that the state already took enough from this poor girl? In total, after her winning, she used $1000 in food stamps? Take it as a loss considering the state already took $500,000 in taxed from her. And criminal investigation? Amanda Clayton seems no more a criminal than I am. She was just doing what she thought she needed to do to survive.
A lawmaker in the state is now trying to pass a legislation that would make it illegal for people like Clayton to collect benefits. They stated, "We need to continue to protect our taxpayer's dollars....and taxpayer dollars should be going to those who really need assistance." Hey, ding-dong! If you're going to talk about protecting taxpayers, then protect the girl who just paid half a million dollars in taxes on a million dollar prize she just won. If you're going to complain about her, then just give her back the half a million you took from her to pay taxes on her winning! Uggh! I have a headache! Have a good weekend!
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