The Welfare Rights Committee was part of that the TANF Task Force, but we knew we would never agree with the “Final Recommendations.”

Why? Because most Task Force members are employed by entities that are funded by TANF money. The job of those Task Force members was to not get fired. We get that.

WRC is promoting Part 1 of the TANF Task Force report, which shows how the TANF money is being misspent.

Every year, the state of MN gets $263 million from the federal government in TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funding. Only 28% of that goes to poor families in the form of cash grants. The largest percentage goes to counties, for programs that should be funded by the state agency called DEED (Department of Employment and Economic Development). Other TANF funds are siphoned away for childcare funds, the Health Department and tax credits. If the state of MN cares about these “worthy programs,” they should be funded from the General Fund.

We say, 100% of TANF money should go to TANF families. Double the grants.