Hawaii Governor's Administration Calls For Legislature To Restore Anti-Poverty Funding

June 1, 2008 -- HONOLULU – Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle’s Chief of Staff Barry Fukunaga today called on the State Legislature to reverse its misguided decision to restrict the spending of $28.2 million in federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds for the upcoming fiscal year.

Fukunaga encouraged state lawmakers to make it their highest priority to lift the restriction on anti-poverty funds when it reconvenes in January 2009.

The freezing of TANF funds by Democrat lawmakers means that instead of using federal funds to confront pressing social needs today, this money will sit idle in a reserve account and can only be used for cash assistance payments to welfare families in future years rather than for social programs that can help people immediately and reduce the factors that might cause individuals and families to fall into poverty in the first place.

TANF-funded programs connect needy families with employment, help students succeed in school and prepare them for rewarding careers. The programs also help prevent substance abuse, teenage pregnancies and help deter child abuse and neglect.

“At a time when we have the ability and opportunity to leverage available federal funds to assist our state, these unnecessary, self-imposed spending restrictions on the use of federal dollars will offer no advantage or benefit, but only harm our most vulnerable residents,” said Fukunaga. “The Lingle-Aiona Administration strongly encourages legislators to do the right thing by restoring the anti-poverty funding as soon as they convene in January in order to help needy individuals and families in our state.”

Fukunaga provided detailed background in a commentary yesterday as a precursor to his statement.

Source: Hawaii Governor

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