Michigan woman who won $1M continued to collect $200 a month in food stamps
A Lincoln Park, Michigan, woman who won $1 million in the state lottery but continued to get food stamps has an unusual connection to the legislator seeking to outlaw what she was she's doing.
Amanda Clayton, 24, won $1 million in the lottery in September and until recently was still receiving $200 a month in food stamps to feed her and her two children.
Late Wednesday, the state Department of Human Services said Clayton is now no longer getting food stamps after department officials took her off the program.
Clayton's use of taxpayer assistance after buying a new home and car with her lottery winnings follows another case of a Bay County man getting food stamps after his $2 million pay day from the lottery in 2010. That prompted state Rep. Dale Zorn to get the state House to pass legislation last month that would throw large-sum lottery winners off the welfare rolls. Legislation is pending in the Senate.
"State assistance, our tax dollars, is meant to go to those who are truly in need," said Zorn, R-Ida. "It's not meant to go to those who won big in the lottery."
In a strange twist, Zorn is a distant cousin of the grandmother of Clayton's ex-boyfriend, Joshua Ormanian of Taylor, who says Clayton went on "an insane shopping spree" after winning.
"I'm glad the person who is fighting this is actually related to us," said Rebecca Lane, 68, of Taylor, whose maiden name is Zorn and recalls meeting Rep. Dale Zorn at a family reunion in Monroe County. "There are too many people who are legitimately in need and (Clayton is) definitely not one of them."
Zorn, 58, was unaware of the family connection until The Detroit News asked about it Wednesday and doesn't recall meeting Lane. But Zorn said he checked with a cousin and family historian who verified Lane is "indeed a long distance cousin," five or six times removed.
The legislator said he introduced the bill in October, nearly five months before news of lottery winner Amanda Clayton's use of food stamps went viral Wednesday on the Internet.
Amanda Clayton would not grant The News an interview, but was not breaking any law, said her mother, Euline Clayton of Lincoln Park.
"I'm not saying it's the right thing to do," Euline Clayton said of her daughter's use of food stamps. "But it's nobody's business if she's not breaking the law."
Amanda Clayton may have broken the law if she continued to accept food stamps after her income and assets exceeded the legal limit for assistance.
To qualify for food stamps, recipients must have income below a threshold. The state last year put in place asset tests for those on welfare and food stamps.
"The person in question hasn't been eligible for a long time," said DHS spokesman Dave Akerly.
A statement issued Wednesday evening from department Director Maura Corrigan said Clayton is "now no longer receiving benefits," but it was unclear when the action was taken.
"DHS relies on clients being forthcoming about their actual financial status," she said. "If they are not, and continue to accept benefits, they may face criminal investigation and be required to pay back those benefits."
After taking a $700,000 lump sum and paying taxes, Clayton pocketed about $500,000 and bought a new home and car, Euline Clayton said.
News of Amanda Clayton remaining on food stamps was first reported this week by WDIV-TV (Channel 4). In an interview, the single mother of two said she's still "struggling" after winning big on the Michigan Lottery's "Make Me Rich!" television show.
"I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn't I thought maybe it was OK because I'm not working," Clayton told WDIV. "I feel that it's OK because I have no income, and I have bills to pay. I have two houses."
House Bill 5032 would require the Michigan Lottery to forward names of any resident who wins over $1,000 to DHS to be cross- referenced with public assistance roles, according to Zorn.
DHS can't track whether food stamp recipients have lottery winnings making them ineligible to receive assistance, Akerly said.
If the lottery winner is on assistance, House Bill 5033 would require DHS to assess the person's assets to determine if they are eligible for aid, Zorn said.
"Until the bill's passed, apparently it's legal, and people need to leave her alone," Euline Clayton told The Detroit News.
Zorn said he finds Clayton's claim she's struggling financially "very hard to believe," given she recently paid cash for a new car and second home.
"It doesn't seem to me that a person who can do that should be on assistance," Zorn said.
Amanda Clayton got on the "Make Me Rich!" game show after entering $10 worth of nonwinning instant tickets in the lottery's Instant Replay Contest, according to a state lottery press release. Food stamps can't be used to buy lottery tickets.
Euline Clayton said her daughter is "stressed out" from the international media attention she has attracted.
In a statement, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing., also called for federal legislation requiring states to prevent lottery winners from getting food and cash assistance. "At a time when so many out-of-work Michigan families are in real need of assistance, it's outrageous for people to cheat and defraud the system like this," said Stabenow, chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which oversees funding for the food stamp program through the Farm Bill.
Something is not right with her story, I know someone who has 2 kids and works part time, she collects $265.00 per person thats $795.00 per month, she gets no cash.
She owns the first house, maybe she inherited it, but how does she pay for insurance, electricity, gas, water, etc.
She probably has a job, working under the table, most times when you work under the table, someone is doing you a favor, to help hide income because, you are collecting, welfare, unemployment or your dodging child and or spousal support.
Another reason someone pays under the table is because they are not paying you fair market value for your services, in which you are screwed out of your Social Security credits.
She clearly has a pet, what does the dog eat ?
Is she renting out one of those houses ? because thats rental income, or is that a hidden cash transaction ?
Well, that was an interesting read. Shows common (or lack of ) sense in typical government programs and recipients thereof. Kudos to Rep. ZORN and Sen. Stabenow for being on the offense to curb excessive "freebies" to a person(s) that doesn't actually need it. Clayton takes home over $500K and is still struggling with 2 houses and a new car ? <lack of common sense> Everyone say big "AWWWWW POOR BABY".. Now, this house bill #5302 is a good thing
<shows some common sense>.....
Good motto, gotta like it.......... Lotteries have to issue a tax form on a win of that magnitude, remove taxes before the check is cut and last I knew Michigan has a state income tax. ((I BET SULLY KNOWS !!!!!))) Lemme check to be sure....YEUUUUP, there it is right there in black and white!! As of OCT 1st, 2007 the Michigan tax rate is at 4.35%... Are you telling me there is no program in place that matches 2 state sponsored programs to interact with each other like the tax bureau and DHS ??? Especially after almost 40 years of existence of the lottery<lack of common sense there>....Nobody in the Michigan government thought of this kind of potential issue from the 1970s until now ??? Hmmm, gotta go with <lack of common sense> there. Isn't it the states job to stop waste abuse and fraud ??? How many $$ have gone out the door over the last 40 years ?? <going w/lack of Common Sense on this too>
......Just an observation and an opinion on my part.
The Michigan lottery, established in May 1972, must be an affiliate of the state government as most lotteries are. Their mission statement includes," To operate all games and bureaus functions with nothing less than total integrity".
This kind of makes me wonder...If a state government takes this long to get their act together ??? <scratching head> I wonder how long it will take the FEDS ???
Here is my problem who criticize people like this woman for still taking food stamps. That measly $200 a month she is getting in assistance, she paid for it in the $250,000 plus in taxes she paid. At that rate she will recoup her money in about 100 years or so. The other guy who started all of this he paid about $1.2 million in taxes so it will be several lifetimes before he gets his money back.
They are some of the biggest taxpayers in the country, they should be getting thank you letters from people. I bet half the people complaining about them are either living off their tax money they paid or have family members that are through some sort of social program.
Considering she won a million dollars initially and only got $700,000 before taxes, she was already in my opinion taxed an extra $300,000 right off the bat so her real taxes were closer to $600,000. If you win $500 on a scratch off ticket you get $500 and you don't pay taxes so I don't understand why when you win large amounts it gives them the right to effectively steal back almost half of the money.
The same politicians showing fake outrage over this are the same ones that pass large tax breaks for corporations and their buddies so they pay virtually no taxes. For example if you own 10 Subway restaurants you get no tax break and pay your full taxes, but if you are an auto plant or something else like that, you pay virtually no taxes. That does not seem fair now, does it?
The problem with Amanda Clayton and the other guy is that they are poor and uneducated and don't know how to fight back and call people out on their hypocrisy.
In summation, I don't necessarily think they should be taking the assistance, but it is being paid out of their money, not yours or anyone elses.
I am sure that some people would take exception to my keeping my disability benefits if I won a large jackpot, but I worked for 30 years to earn those benefits!
I know that this is off subject, but there was a $60,000,000 Powerball Winner in Rhode Island last nite!
Here come the conspiracy freaks!
Aaaaaaamen DP....watch the age/race/political card come crankin" out of the cyber world on this one....want some
and 
??? pull up a chair and set-a-spell.
I am glad common sense prevailed in this case.
I also hope the RI winner was not my former landlord....snake! Thief kept my security deposit as well as that of my roommates.
When one wins the lottery, any ties to public aid should be cut. She can reapply after she has blown through all her winnings just like Leroy Fick.
If she's poor and uneducated, thats her FAULT !
Tax payers pour billions into education, if she failed to learn anything, thats her fault.
It is not okay to expect taxpayers to care of anyone, Period!
If you can afford lottery tickets, you don't need taxpayers to support you !
If her own family won't take care of her, why should we?
I don't care how much came of the top of her lottery winnings, It's not okay to continue to cheat taxpayers who work and can't afford lottery tickets for themselves.
She's out to get as much for herself with little or no effort, not once does she mention using THAT MONEY TO GET HIGHER EDUCATION, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE STUFF SHE CAN HAVE.
And, because she has no income and 2 houses, when she files her taxes, she will probably GET A NICE PORTION BACK.
Sully, you make excellent points all the way through and Venom has some points as well.....The one issue I failed to see in the article was about personal integrity on her part to volunteer to get off the gov system of welfare...As far as the other guy mentioned in the article, I believe I recall him being interviewed and he claimed he asked the representative about being removed. He claimed at that time they told him he was okay to continue receiving benefits. I could be wrong on how that was played out. Either way, its a lack of honestly and personal pride to continue with these types of actions.....
Just remember...You cant fix morality, no matter how much you regulate it.
Did you actually read anything I wrote or did you just want to spout your diatribe and write in the biggest letters possible regardless?
Once again that money she is collecting is hers. SHE PAID MASSIVE TAXES.
If you are this upset about a woman that paid $600,000 in taxes getting back about $200 a month, then you should be absolutely livid about people like Mitt Romney who paid little to no taxes on hundreds of millions of dollars. I believe that he was able to transfer something like $100 million to his sons tax free and pay less than half of what we would on another $20 million or so.
You just completely don't grasp the concept that she paid taxes and taxes far in excess of what she is getting do you. SHE IS THE TAXPAYER.
And I bet she had paid way more in taxes than you ever have. By the way in my experience the people like yourself who constantly scream about taxpayers this and that are usually the ones that pay little to no taxes.
That money she is collecting in food stamps is not her's, she might be the tax payer now, but it's still not her personal bank account.,
People like me who scream the loudest don't pay taxes, REALLY !!!!!
Your experience,,, wow, not much experience we shelled out more than you probably made, and I am sick of not getting any of it back, I am sick of supporting people who have no desire to support themselves.
I am sick of human garbage that takes and takes and takes.
You will be blocked so go ahead and defend the thieves of the world who refuse to work.
In a strange twist, Zorn is a distant cousin of the grandmother of Clayton's ex-boyfriend, Joshua Ormanian of Taylor, who says Clayton went on "an insane shopping spree" after winning.
-Jeez, how small is this town (or the minds in it)? They hunted down an ex to comment on this story?
Your reasoning is a bit convoluted. This woman is not "getting her own money back". She is gaming the system; pure and simple.
If food stamps was nothing more than getting your own money back, then I qualify for food stamps as would anyone else paying taxes.
But what really bothers me about this story is the fact the state had no mechanism for removing people from welfare when their situation changes. This woman's situation changed but she did not. She continued receiving food stamps. Only when brought to the attention of the entire country was something done and that required a new law.
Venom, while i know the above was directed at Sully, there are a few thing you may want to adjust....she did not pay $600,000. in taxes.....according to her own video statements, she VERBALLY chose to take the lump sum of $700,000.00 and after she netted just over $500,000.00 (not sure how much over the 500k)......as opposed to accepting the payments over so many years adding up to a Million. Lotteries are pretty clear on the lump sum or annuity.....Don't worry V, the feds are gonna take more, cause shes up in the 35% bracket for 2011.....Out of 700K they will get close to 250K.....
While she is a taxpayer...just because you contribute to the system in a big lump some,doesn't guarantee you and your family a right to collect from it. That should come from a continually verified qualification. Looks as though she failed to verify.
With that being said I am one of those taxpayers who is upset over frivolous government mismanagement and the people who illegally steal/unethically take from the system.
You may want to recant that statement about betting on taxes paid. I know at least one person in here that has paid in during the last 8 years more than she has.....Then again that's not what the story is about ....
Here's hoping you and I get that same opportunity to pay our share very soon !!!
If inner city schools are the blame for being "poor and uneducated", EVERY single person that has ever graduated from any of these schools would fail ........ that is not the case.
I worked for over 20 years with my disability until I was told by my last employer to stop working!
Before that, when I lost my last full time job, I worked for minimum wage with no public assistance!
It is a matter of personal responsibility and pride!
Isn't it grand to see how these topics about welfare and lotteries, always seem to bring out the best in all of us? It is so refreshing to see a forum
of folks reaching out to one other with such passion, genuine concern and determination to find meaningful solutions. These exchanges and the
framework that allows this grandeur process to take place, should be a role model for others to learn and benefit from.
she deserves to keep her food stamps. the lottery hit isn't income. she going to squander it all anyway. who gives a rat's petuny if she is and has been successful in bilking the food stamp program. you could all do it if you tried.
"I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn't I thought maybe it was OK because I'm not working," Clayton told WDIV. "I feel that it's OK because I have no income, and I have bills to pay. I have two houses."
"The problem with Amanda Clayton and the other guy is that they are poor and uneducated and don't know how to fight back and call people out on their hypocrisy."
The only part of that I agree with is "Clayton was poor" but hasn't been since the day she cashed the $500,000 check. It's not Clayton's fault she continued to receive food stamps because she thought they would cut her off, but to say because "I have no income, and I have bills to pay [and] have two houses" is a slap in the face to those denied food stamps when they making payments on a 15 year-old car.
"The same politicians showing fake outrage over this"
Nothing fake about saying "State assistance, our tax dollars, is meant to go to those who are truly in need" and the DHS guidelines determines who is in need. Maybe being down to your last half million qualifies you for food stamps where you live, but not in the other 99.99% of the U.S. and certainly not in Lincoln Park, Michigan.
"but if you are an auto plant or something else like that, you pay virtually no taxes."
That may be the dumbest statement I've ever read on LP!
"In summation, I don't necessarily think they should be taking the assistance, but it is being paid out of their money, not yours or anyone elses."
The tax money deducted from our paychecks every week or from lottery winnings was never ours and we have very little say on how it's spent. The only tax money we have a chance at getting back (with the exception of a refund for paying too much) is F.I.C.A and the will be questionable in the next few years. But Clayton isn't working and not paying into SS and it wasn't deducted from her lottery winnings. The taxes on the winnings she paid is not her money.
Zorn tried to close the loop hole in 2010 when another millionaire continued to receive food stamps and Clayton justifies his efforts. The real outrage is when we see people buying cases of pop with their "red, white, and blue" cards and then loading them in to the trunk of their brand new cars.
M, I work in a grocery store, I see the people who are in true need, and I see the fraudsters, this week is welfare week in Michigan, and I will watch them buy everything from chips chips to ice cream then use cash to buy , beer, cigarettes and piles of lottery tickets, it's wrong, it's theft, it's not okay to take someone elses money through entitlements so you can have the stuff you want, while someone else buys the stuff you need through taxation.
It used to be we would get someone on welfare once in awhile, now it's everyone, today we will be hard pressed to find a customer using their own money for food.
Charity is my choice, forcing me to support some one through higher taxation is wrong.
I don't want to be the big bad mean person, but I do see the overwhelming fraud.
"she deserves to keep her food stamps. the lottery hit isn't income."
And this when I thought I just read the dumbest statement.
Line 21 form 1040, other income, Prizes and awards
Did you ever stop and think why the lotteries deduct taxes from lottery prize (hint) winnings if wasn't considered income?
I graduated from Henry Ford High school in Detroit, I can read and write. You right we can't keep blaming schools, Parents need to be more involved in the learning process.
It's really simple Sully, the welfare systems has grown so large, there is not enough people to enforce the rules. With so many people on this thread supporting Clayton to continue receiving Public Assistance without credible reasons why, makes me wonder if 2 or 3 out of ten people in our country are on some type of Public Assistance.
I totally agree with your assessment sully, particularly in your home state of Michigan, perhaps one of the worst hit areas in the country.
It must be very frustrating for you to witness this fraud first hand. Working in a grocery store especially, you have truly seen it all.
I was just commenting on this forum exchange process. Sometimes its good to step back and view things with a little comical intervention.
Being overly serious, can raise your blood pressure, and sometimes prevent you from having the satisfaction of a meaningful debate.
Good posts! Wish we had more like you all over the country.
See you in the forums!
Yes it's clogged up, In Michigan, the have been many Department of Human services people fired and or prosecuted for giving welfare out to friends and family who didn't need it, The system is corrupt.
We just had our taxes done monday, still a little raw from that, getting a whole 6 dollars back from the state. If we could just keep more of the money we earned, life would be better, we are not rich, but we aren't getting ahead either, I am tired of going without the things I want , while watching others get what they want plus me feed them.
Glad to see my home State finally getting it together.
No surprise. No one looked into her new address when they sent the check. I'm sure the states are in the scam too with the federal funds and only spoke up when it hit the news. If anyone needs free heat, rent or presents for the kids, i can send you a copy of our neighborhood handbook.
I could be wrong but the first guy that made the headlines actually called and told them that he won the lottery but the way he claimed it (lump sum), it didnt count as income under the dhs rules only assets. If the law allows this, then its the idiots that wrote the laws that are the first ones to blame. Just curious if shes not breaking any laws because they havent been passed yet to solve this, how can they take her off it? Sounds like someones trying to cover their a**es. This is another example of why we need to vote all the idiots out of office.
Wow....that sucks!
So how do you plan on "investing" your $6.00?
You could get 2 Powerball tickets with Powerplay, 6 MM tickets, or shoot for some pick3-4's? Can't earn much in your savings/checking
account (1% interest at best), that would yield you an annual interest of 6 cents.
Best of luck with tomorrows MM sully!
what about the govt. bailing out banks and auto companies for millions. do you care about that or about some worthless nobody getting food stamps cut because they won a minisucule lottery prize which she will squander in no time. you saps that pay taxes and don't get in on the gravy train have only yourselves to blame. at least she is playing the system for all it's worth. more power to her.
Remember Leroy Fick who won 2 million dollars in the Michigan lottery and was still using foodstamps? He will be on The Lottery Changed my Life on TLC today at 5pm.
Exuse ! but you need another job, if i do say so. So you don't go postal one day! It like hearing to a KKK member who's looking at an interacial couple this goes on and on. When will you and your rants about food stamp people stop! Once you take your 357MM to work with you then it will be too late for people who are minding their own business. ( you are one to watch).
Louise, about 46 million people are part of Obama's Food Stamp Nation and about 57% of them are white.
So what's all this nonsense about KKK and inter-racial this and 357 that and all that mess?
We have a Food Stamp President and it has nothing to do with race.
So let's work together to stop the hate and spread the love.
And I don't want you drinking that wine this early now, Miss Louise.
OMG!!! Can we all igree that everybody pay taxes she just voicing her oppinion thats whats going on in stores everyday I always feel like when u win that much money u should also make some money HELLO!!!
Did I like the bailout the banks got? Absolutely not! It is called common decency! Did you read the words that came out of this child's mouth? (It will be an insult to adults to call her an adult). "I have two houses and a car, I need the money, I have bills to pay!" What?! She would have invested the money or rent out one of the houses, heaven knows she cannot live in both of them simulatenously. Entitlements, no entitlements, isn't the issue, it is the morale or lack of in the hearts of so many Americans. It is disgraceful. I have two lovely kids, they did not qualify for financial aid to attend college, apparently, we were making too much. Alas, they got partial scholarships and the rest, was supplemented by private student loans. I wonder, how the private lending institutions, will feel if I stopped paying and told them that unless, the banks return ALL of the bailout money before I pay off my kids' student loans. It is common decency! Just beacuse you can be callous, does not mean, you should. Have some pride, decency and bloody self respect! I wonder how well she will respond if, I do not know, there shall be a mandatory drug test, accommodation inspection and a thorough inspection of her financial state, REVALED to all and sundry, THAT will weed out those who truly need it from those who feel they deserve it, just beacuse!
Really? Sully works in a grocery store and I bet, she is not skipping to work everyday but is doing what she can to take care of her family. That, my dear is an epitome of a hardworker who is willing to make a honest living. Not everybody is blessed with a 7 figure job or, a bailout or willing to get any assistance! She is not complaining about the race of this misguided child but, she is complaining about the ACTIONS OF SOME UNDESERVING, welfare recipients! Please, discard using such non-delineating words and accusations, it does not behoove well of a civilized individual.
Hey Louise....FYI, the is no such critter as a 357MM
......the .357 is the size of the diameter of a particular bullet in inches. To convert that to MM it would equal 9.01MM in diameter. There is a 357 S&W Mag(made in the 1930s) which is the gun was made to shoot that round(.357) which was derived from the .38 ....... The 9MM is a bullet that is close in size at .355 inches...Hope that helps. Glad to be of service 
She is alraedy ahead. No one stopped her from making money. She made an investment, two houses. Why not rent one out, that would cover the property taxes, at least. I know the Michigan economy is in the toilet. Winning that much, would have entitled her, to get an education, move out of Michigan, she has so many choices. Which did she take?....WELFARE RECIPIENT! Yes, that speaketh well of her intelligence.
"To qualify for food stamps, recipients must have income below a threshold. The state last year put in place asset tests for those on welfare and food stamps."
________________________
Many states do have asset tests for recipients. Nothing wrong with that.
Maybe they should do away with food stamps and other assistance and use these fema camps as poor houses. Just like they had poor houses prior to the new deal programs and programs that followed.
Maybe we can get Pres O to run the $$$$$ numbers on it. Maybe he has it planned for his second term.
This woman now has over $200,000 in the bank. Please explain to me how she still deserves this "lousy $200 a month"? I work 50+ hours a week and I don't have $2,000 in the bank. Now she has two houses. I only have one. She bought a new car. Mine is almost 10 years old. I deserve that money more than she does at this point, but I wouldn't take it.
How long have you been on the government dole? It's obvious by the statements you make because anyone with job and pride doesn't make these kind of non-sensical statements.
Amanda Clayton needs to be pushed into the real world where people work 40 or more hours a week and need to keep every penny they earn and so do you.
You and Clayton have benefitted from hard working people who pay taxes and yet you still complain? Unbelievable.
They should make here pay back all the benfits .....
What people don't understand is if you get any type of government assitance it is based on your income just because you win the lottery does not mean this is income to the agency this is considered a gift. Their is a process that even the government has to abide by which they cannot cut off her assitance immediately it takes about 90 days. I don't feel like she is doing anything wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if her baby daddy called in on her because he wants money but she is struggling with 2 kids. People let's be real once you purchase a house and a car that is most of your money right their.
There are alot of mean, spirited jealous people in the world if you notify the agency and they do not cut it off you are not wrong. i remember reading a story recently where a guy in england who won over $30 million dollars in the lottery and he was collecting his retirement and everyone in his community thought he was wrong. People think just because you win the lottery you forget about your life before the win no this guy worked for 30yrs and was entitled to his money. There are so many jealous and envious people in this world her family member was jealous because they didn't get any of the money so they turn to the news and expose her. That lottery win was amanda clayton's blessing from god. No cousin, no aunt, or no uncle would make me give them if she is struggling with two kids to make ends meet where were the relatives before the win.
Ridge , I will say you maybe a few things .But I have to say you crack me up!! For crying out loud man ! take your humor on the road.
However I wish I was Louise White at this day and time.
Allow me, if you will to point out a major difference. You see, the gentleman in England, worked earnestly for 30 years as such, he is entitled to his retirement. The man, worked hard. Now, Ms. Clayton, says she does not work, she is but 24 years old, she has so many opportunities for herself, she is young. She could go back to school, it is never too late for that, invest, open a business with an advice of a reputable financial analyst. I will tell you this; an elderly winner, who has worked hard, sees a lottery win to finally bow out of the rat race after so many years put in it and maybe, helping younger family members. A young woman like her, is too young, too able bodied to be relying on welfare, for GOD's sake. Our youth is meant to be productive not a generation of "I did not work for it but still, I deserve it". She defied the odds of winning the lottery, do you know how much more respected she would have been if she saw this gift and decided to invest it wisely? Would that have been such a bad idea? I repeat, just because she can, does not mean that she should collect. I don't know about you but at 24, I had some pride and decency and worked extremely hard not to end up on government benefits and be demeaned for it!
My $0.02.
how far back. certainly not before she won that 1m. she's seems to be spending it as fast as she can so she will end back up on food stamps anyway. so why make her go through all the trouble of re-applying in say fall of 2014 when she is clean. she at least bought a house and car (why she needs 2 houses i don't know) since she paid out so much in taxes let her keep the food stamps. who cares anyway. the govt. will just waste it somewhere else on something like a make believe trip to the moon again or another made for tv war. stop picking on her, she didn't win that much. the posters on here sneer at 1m. you all want the big 200m+ or you won't even buy a ticket. at least she was smart enough to play for a lower prize.
No! need to try to clue me in on guns , i knew what I was saying I was in the Army Rotc ,I could assemble a M16 and dismantle it also I know enough with my little saturday night special it has pink handle.Wow! it will get the job done if needed.
The only thing I am going to say is that she had better be glad she was a resident of Michigan when she won it. I don't have any pity for "welfare cheats". It just makes the rest of us pay more in taxes. She is 24 and can go back to school, get a decent education and be somebody. instead, she has that "government freebie" disease. She has 2 children, she should get off her sorry A&&, get a good education and get a job.
same point i was thinking,you made it better than i could have,thanks
If you people live in the South don't even speak about people having a safety net or " WELFARE" this you poor soul know nothing of.
Beside what with you people who claim that you have so much trouble with people getting assistance.Just live and let live ,take of your own business and don't worry about the chump change these people get. For"GOD SAKE" stop listening to one side BS on right wing wacko radio. I worked all my life and sometime two jobs and never said anything about the ones who got assistance.Oh! My father and mother was the hardest working of their time. My father did a lot of odd jobs to feed his family and we survive hard time.So before any of you think my family was a welfare case. I think not just hard working people raising a big family in rural America.
Bravo
my thoughts exactly
I would rent one of the houses out for income since she has two of them. Just my two cents!-weshar75
exactamundo !
This young lady is very lucky that she doesn't live in Iowa.When you win a lottery over $600 they check your record to see if you owe anybody.If you do,that amount will be deducted from your winnings as well as 25% for federal taxes and 5% for state taxes.They consider food stamps and welfare payments as money being owed to the state.If your children were born while you were on welfare,they will deduct the hospital bill from your winnings.If you owe back taxes,they will deduct those,too.In Iowa there are no free rides.The state will help you out if you need it,but expect you to pay it back if you suddenly come into money.Seems pretty fair to me!
FYI Stalker of night, how long have you been on welfare that anwser you d@M question on me.How!! darn you to try to stigmatize me because I have compassion for the poor and after all that could happen to me, I will be the poor soon since the middle class are ceaseing to exist. So get a life and live and let live.
You people all think the same . What! is this a Conservative,Tea party, Republican site where your trying to limit my 1st amendment right all this wild and crazy things being said on this site, you think if your Liberal ,Moderate, Progress or Democrat you shouldn't speak,Well wishful thinking unless we are ban,My question to you do you know civilized people, have you read the person your defending blogs I beg the differ.You have a good day Mam!
You're right, dpoly, not one ticket sold in Rhode Island has won the Powerball jackpot in over 4 years and 2 months. Now the Powerball jackpot was won by tickets purchased in Rhode Island TWICE -- in a span of 4 weeks! Congratulations you two Powerball jackpot winning ticket holders.
I bet the chronic Rhode Island Powerball lottery players were beginning to grow weary. I wonder if now Powerball ticket purchases in Rhode Island will fall off BIG TIME for apx. 4 years!
I have no problem with people getting assistance. It is just that they should not be able to get it for ALL of their lives. At some point in time, they need to do something for themselves. In this state, they get 4-5 years and after that, they need to get off their behinds and go to work. The state will even send them to school for free and help them to get a job. They can take college courses for a degree or they can do vocational for a trained skill. The state will continue them on assistance as long as they are trying to do something positive for themselves. If they quit, their asistance stops. There are no more excuses.
Dear sir,
I have for the most part of my life, been a liberal. I disagreed on a few things with them though, I am all for assistance to those who truly need it, unfortunately, it is not utopia where every one gets the same, The Animal Farm by George Orwell ."All animals are equal." In my youth, I was like Snowball, all animals are equal. It is afterall, the idea that you contribute to the society and seen through a productive periscope. Some say, we have become more like Napoleon from the book, "All animals are created equal but, some are created more equal than others."
My rant in the above paragraph, states the society we have become. The question is, does she really need the "measly $200"? She had a head start, I do not know about you, but it boils down to self respect. Maybe some see it as a wonderful thing to flash their welfare status but many I reckon, do not. You are right, her getting $200, does not affect most people, it just begs to question, where your self respect lays....."I am unemployed, I have no job, I have bills to pay and I have 2 houses." Please Louis, tell me, why did she bother to play the lottery if she refuses to get out of such a mentality? She won, she is in a different class economically. If she has no bloody pride, how about her kids? It boils down to pride and self respect. I believe once you can escape from poverty by moving up, economically, you do not go back in there to degrade yourself. I am not attacking you based on your political affiliation, I could care less, it is your right to speak and have a political leaning, I am just pointing out the flaw in your arguement that she has a right, a right she might have but class, I guess she lacks.
Do you see my point at all?
With the amount of money she won and with no job and if she intends not to get one lets check in a few years from now and see if she has any money left.
Probably went thru a sizeable amount already.
Louise, I disagree with many posters on here, I do not agree with their opinions, be it political, religious, racial or otherwise. I do however, tend to pick on a few posts which, no matter where you stand on various issues, there is a common stand point on issues which are just questioned. I might not agree with all of Sully's opinions but some, I do ponder upon. Everybody tends to make sense one way or the other but in case you haven't noticed, a lot of people here were complaining about her lackluster care for how she presented herself on WHY she deserves and collects assistance. The woman has opportunities at her feet. The economy of Michigan is downtrotten, I bet the real estate is nothing to sing about so, she might have bought a house at a relatively non-steep price. She has 2 houses, and bought a new car. I might have read somewhere that she went on a crazy shopping spree, NOW she states that she has bills to pay. Where in the world were those bills, when she went berzerk? She might have paid a lot in taxes from the lottery, remember though, it was more money that she had the morning before she won, you know? It isn't money earned, she should have taken the money and kept her dignity by re-establishing herself financially, she did not hence, the insults coming her way.Why make a spectacle out of herself? Why?
Louise, nobody here is limiting your free speech but the conservatives are pointing out the difference between morally/legally right and wrong with this lottery winner. While we are a nation of giving, we are a nation of laws. This country was created by hard working people that were sick and tired of a overbearing "tax happy motherland" along with other issues. A group of leaders made a few documents(Bill of Rights and the Constitution) that is 2nd to none in my opinion.
While we weren't perfect in the beginning( or even now) we were responsible for our actions. Our country became what it is because of our spirit to defend freedom, work hard, have morals and ethics(although a number of folks don't today). We have given our lives in the defense of being a truly free society by entering WW1, WW2,Korea, Vietnam, and the latest Middle East War. America is where people flock to for opportunity more than any other country in the world. Freedom of speech, religion, choice of residence and earning a living. While we offer all those things, we also demand compliance. When you carelessly, recklessly or intentionally try to circumvent our system, there are consequences.
The USA is a center right country according to numerous independent reports. That's just the way it is ....If we weren't, then we would going left, down the progressive/liberal/ democrat dependency on the Government scenario. Similar to Socialism.
The majority of members(on this site from what I have seen) believe in personal responsibility, integrity and contributing to society. We don't want to occupy Wall St, have the government control what we drive for cars, pay for those who cheat,steal or destroy, recklessly outspend their budget limits and continue to put our nation in debt every year by trillions of dollars. Enough is enough. GREECE is a liberal society and now you can see how that is working. Someone is is bailing them out.
What the conservative Republicans want is for American citizens to be hard working RESPONSIBLE Americans again, who survive on their own in the face of adversity.
Some listen to Rush L. ( I dont and never have) The radio for me, is for Music and Hurricane updates....Do I know civilized people ? Oh sure, many on both sides of that fence, met some and arrested some during my 17 year career field....
Please keep these 2 thoughts in mind...."All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent" ..." The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not"...Sorry for the long winded reply...good luck with your lottery purchases
We may get into a snit with one another around here on this and that but we have a common bond around here.
The lottery.
Amen JAP69.....case has been rectified.....so onward an upward.....Time to win the MM. I could certainly make do with that lil jackpot !!!!
Re: SHE PAID MASSIVE TAXES,
How long had she been on food stamps and without income?
If she's on food stamps and with no reportable income, that would imply she hasn't been paying taxes previously.
Yet she probably uses the 'free' public education system for her kids.
Probably uses 'free' parks for her kids, maintained by the city.
Has police, fire and possibly emergency medical services available.
If she has no income, would probably be going to 'free' clinics for medical services.
Food stamps = 'free' food for her and her kids, so that she can spend income that she doesn't have on lottery tickets.
Are the streets near her paved, and are there working signals?
I don't know if you realize it, but these actually aren't 'free'.
They're paid for by taxes.
That $250,000 she paid, isn't for her to use as a personal bank account that she can withdraw food stamps from.
And it's good that she did win, and had to pay it - now she has actually paid for all these services she has available, and uses, and sounds like she doesn't have plans to pay for in the future, either.
I'm 48 yo, and been working since I was 15 - 33 years. I'm not rich, nor poor, have a decent job, and pay roughly $15,000 taxes yearly - state and fed. So, I'd say that $250,000 she paid has her covered for all the 'free' services that taxpayers pay for for about 16 years.
But I don't have anywhere close to half million in the bank, and nobody is paying for my food.
How much does $250,000 cover in 'free' services?
Maybe 1/2 dozen people for a year to handle all those 'free' services she has available and the administration aspects to keep them working. Orgs don't run well without secretaries, principals, etc... also, unless you believe in some funky kind of chaos theory.
Maybe she should spend some of that half million on some babysitters, and go back to school to get herself educated, if she isn't already. Because once her 16 tax-paid years are up, taxpayers are again paying for her life, and she'll probably again be struggling with no money.
If she'd prefer just to live off the govt, she may be better off going to somewhere like North Korea, or committing a crime in the US so she gets put in jail for many years. Both will give her what she needs to live. The govt will take good care of her, also at taxpayer expense.
But since this is a site on lottery... I wonder how many lottery tickets she bought with that half mil. Just think of the wheels she could do. She could win the $150 mil on megamillions without breaking a sweat. That's a lot of bubbles to bubble, though.
Best 1st post I have ever seen, welcome to Lottery Post, way to BUST into a subject!! Look forward to seeing more of your posts.
Great post. There are more people getting food stamps and other assistance than ever before and it's not because they don't want to work. This what I'm trying to figure out about some on here. Okay, if you're against people who refuse to work. I get that. But if you're against people getting assistance period no matter much they need it. I don't get that. In a perfect world everyone on earth would be rich, but this is the real world and it has never been perfect. If my family wins tonight's MMs jackpot, our hard working days will be over forever.
I also have to remember that there are many who hate the rich, too. So you go from being hated because you're poor to be hated because you're rich.
Your right weezy, I do need another job, KKK AND GOING POSTAL...not hardly. Stop with the racism, theres nothing in anything I have said that points to the racism your trying to make exist.
I need to stop talking about the broken welfare program ? Seems to me you feel I don't have the same rights as you, since our opinions differ.
I will never stop telling people about the broken system, and the crap that goes on, but thats what your afraid of, me speaking up about the abuse.
A couple weeks ago, we had a mother and her 2 kids shopping with her bridge card, she bought her normal groceries, and almost 200 dollars worth of Hershey fundraising candy, had the audacity to ask if her kids could stand outside and sell the candy while she went and got her nails done, she said and I quote
" I DON'T WANT MY KIDS TO BREATHE IN THE CHEMICALS "
WOW ! IS SHE A GOOD MOM OR WHAT ? Doesn't want her kids to breathe in the chemicals, instead, she'll have them stand outside in the dark with cold wind blowing left all alone, to sell the candy she bought with foodstamps.
She is selfish and stupid, when you have kids, THEIR WELFARE COMES FIRST !!!!
This is the stupid sh*t that bothers me. Parents who put their wants and needs first can go straight to hell.
Her mistake was she took a lump sum and not payments...Live and learn..She should live on a budget now but at her being so young that will be hard....
She won a $1 million, which is nothing to sneeze at, but do all states offer 20+ year annuities on that little a winning?
I'm pretty sure that if you score a second prize for Powerball ($1 million), they do not offer an annuity, it must be paid as a lump sum.
Mac,
Hers was a second chance drawing and with their economy up there, I would REASONABLY lean towards their lotto giving the lump sump(for less). Don't know for sure, just making an educated guess.
As far as Florida is concerned, all of our Million dollar scratch off tix & Mega Money is over 20 payments/cash lump sum, FL Lotto & Powerball is at 30 payments/cash lump sum, the $2 million(2nd place) winner on the powerball gets a 1 time lump sum NO annuity option.
Thanks CDana. For the standard $2 ticket for Powerball the second prize is $1 million, which I believe is also paid as a lump sum.
Your referring to the $3 ticket with Powerplay for the $2 million prize. I was responding to tiggs95 previous post, which I forget to click on.
Later, gator
Yes, only the conservatives have the moral compass to point out what's wrong with this woman. Neither the Liberals nor moderates like myself have the morals to understand that what she's done is wrong. No I haven't repeatedly commented what a leach she is. Only the conservative pillars of morality could possibly make those comments. Cause as we all know, If you're not a conservative, you must be an America hating evil leach of society... < that would be sarcasm
If they can find 40+ more like her, to kick off food stamps, they'll be able to return to each state resident all of ... one penny
or have nearly $1 million to divvy into some politicians' pet projects ... or pockets.
Lemme guess which path they'll take.
Complaining there's fraud in the system is like complaining there's sand on the beach.
Conservatives are generally correct, thank you!
Being a retired Postal carrier tiggs can train you sully in how to go Postal..tiggs saw two good fights there in 24 years..tiggs never miss-delevered one piece of mail in all those years but understand Tenn carriers do..Got that fom some good source and drunk here at lotto land...
My mistake; at 40 of 'em, it's only ~$100,000 "saved".
Too bad, that's too small to divvy.
How many older people that are on food assistance own their home and/or land property thats worth over 500 grand? I'm guessing that the number is bigger than most people think. Some of these people who bought a home 30-40-50 years ago who never sold, are now living in homes where they can barely pay the taxes on the property with their social security check. So they need food assistance. Are we going to go door to door and make these people sell their homes so they can get off food assistance? This woman who won the lottery obviously didn't make the right choices with her new found wealth, but how many people in America are making the right choices by not downsizing etc? This is a slippery slope and I feel that this woman is being used as some sort of scapegoat...
It won't even be a few years. I'm guessing she's probably close to broke now. We've all seen enough Lottery shows to know that people who don't know how to deal with money when their poor, are not going to change when their rich. This woman will be on one of the cursed lottery shows because she wasn't educated enough to know how to deal with her money. And neither is the majority of the 300 million who live in the United States. There's no reason the public needed to know that this woman was using food assistance. Unless they plan on looking at everyone's assests how uses the program and reporting on it.
I agree with you sully 16
I was raised in the West side of Detroit and went to Detroit Cooley high 82-86.
I now live in Oakland county the Waterford-Pontiac area, I was laid off from a auto plant located in Auburn Hills in May of 2009.I am currently back to work thru a temp job agency for the last several months now. My beef withe State DHS system is this I have high blood pressure and I am a heart patient and I take meds for it when I was laid off I tried to get help for my costly prescriptions and they gave me such a hard time before turning me down/ no help and yes I had doctors and hospital paper work to show and prove everything! all I wanted was some help getting my meds and I was turned down because I was getting unemployment at the time.
My point is that I see and know of people not only getting help from the State with food stamps and cash help but also paying for their meds and paying their rent from state money!!!
and some of them are illegal mexicans I know for a fact cause i have worked with some of their family members.I see them driving their new trucks and cars and spending hundreds of dollars in food card stamp money and there family member who lives with them is working and bringing home a paycheck also!!!
it pisses me off to think i couldn't even get help for a few months for mds that I need!!!.
the States need to crack down on us this also while there going after people who win the lottery.
As for me yes I think anyone who wins BIG should stop collecting State benefits/food stamps card. PERIOD!!!
But if you have worked all your adult life and are now getting ssi or retirement money each month you should continue collecting that even if you win big on a lottery i don't care how much cause you worked and earned that money each month.
You are the person i was talking about when i called it a safety net, (disscussion thread)
its a shame that you can't get help when you really need it,
part of the reason for that, i suspect is people like clayton and fick ,
talking advantage of the system, while folks that really need help suffer.
Shame, people who really need these just to get themselves back on track, are being denied. Yet, this child (again, I cannot call her an adult), states her need for it, she does not work, she says, she has bills to pay. The child got $500,000 after taxes, she already had a golden egg laid on her lap yet, she feels inadequate and does not hide her lack of pride and decency.
Terrible......
I know in Florida if your on assistance and you hit the lotto, you have to pay them back all of the money that you had gotten from them. I know its the same in NYC as well.
So if she was on assistance someone would have to find out how far back she was on and take out what she owes, that's all!
Businesses make jobs for people! What ever they pay in taxes is just fine! I say lower the taxes on businesses! "Their fair share" is so very childish to say!
First, there is no "1st Amendment Right" on the internet, especially not on a message board/site with zero US government involvement.
Second, I blame the state for the lottery commission doing their due diligence. She should have reported it but at the same time the lottery should have known. With the amount she won she should have had to pay back whatever non-medical assistance she received from last September and prior. IMO that should be done with any prize over $250,000 though perhaps with a multi-tiered cap depending on the amount won.
it's called unearned income and is taxable.
It is MUCH easier to snarl at the visible welfare recipients than to run through the thought experiment of all the people and businesses whose livelihoods depend on folks using the programs.
Those "welfare checks" are pooled and hidden under labels like "furniture", "computer equipment", "rental space", "utilities" & "administrative costs" (case workers, managers).
no kidding four4me. but the only way to get ahead in life is to lie cheat and steal.. or you can be a good doobie and pay all your taxes and be a good solid citizen and let the govt. strip you clean. she paid a ton of taxes on this lottery hit and deserves to get some of it back since she can't manage her money due to just plain stupidity. she's not going to become smart just because she won a small lottery prize. they should double her food stamp allottment since they stole 35% of her lottery money. these politicians salaries are way too high and they do absolutely nothing but pretend to do something and we continue to elect and pay these so called officials and representatives who hardly ever show up for their jobs and can be found in <snip>tail lounges most of the afternoons spending your money.
Yeh , your child-ish! if you think anyone but your right wing wacko side, think that big business is paying too much taxes. what wrong is people are paying too much and business too less go figure! You Conservatives can say what the hell you wants, I will alway speak out for Liberty!! By the way CUT the crap!"about the Republicans being the only ones to restore moral compass.Have your so call forgiving @ss , look at your so call leaders LATELY.
Hey Louise, nice to see you again. Hope your day has gone well...You do give the impression you're perturbed ....I was a bit confused on the big business tax statement. Are you saying that big business doesn't pay enough ? Could you show a fact based example of which business that would be ? Also where the facts are able to be confirmed, please and thanks. What tax rate is acceptable for a business ? Did you run a big business before and if so, which one ? I ran a small one with 5 employees but never a big one. As far as moral compass, by the misdeeds of any elected official( D or R), that has fallen on both sides of the coin. Looking at leaders from both sides Is this the best that we have to chose from ??? If so, what facts make them the best or worst...... I do realize we are getting away from the topic of the post. Also, I just saw we spent the most in history for the month of February( $229 Billion) as a preliminary report by the CBO in the Washington Post...Thanks in advance....
GE hasn't paid their fair share of taxes.
I agree with you. Two days ago, I was checking out after grocery shopping. I brought up this subject about the lottery winner to the cashier. She told me of a customer, 3 days prior, she checked out. After checking out, his food stamp card had a balance left, over $7,000. Someone please explain, how anyone can have that much food stamp money. The cashier promised me, she would get the persons name.
Well BOB, there ya go...I have no idea what food stamps recipients are getting each week, but if whats she saw was true, that's a healthy chunk of change to have in reserve...Wonder how that was achieved if you are able to get on that program ???...poor fella must have eaten at the soup kitchen for the last year plus..
The receipt shows the balance left on the card, that's what shocked her. Is it possible this man has a very big family? It staggers my mind. If she gets me the name, I will get some answers. My gut feeling tells me he's in cahoots with someone in the food stamp program and that will really piss me off!!! Everyone knows there's abuse in every program.
this might help
http://www.ndhealth.gov/dhs/foodstampcalculator.asp
or handy chart
http://otda.ny.gov/programs/food-stamps/
If the Gov would quit all of this give away stuff that actually hurts people in the long run,and if they would quit blowing our money which in turn keeps us in debt slavery ,we would not be beitcing about this ..The only ones to blame are the elites who make the rules ,and they never invest a dime in their giveaways while claiming they care..
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x555040 complaints that JPM run the EBT program. MY question is, how expensive would it be say to have the USPS to run food stamps.
or some other pulbic service , instead of for profit. still, the bank isnt bothered cutting wasted or corruption the more that is spent the bigger their profits.
and the public servants ewho administer eligibility dont care as they get paid either way, and its not their money.
the beneficiaries want more because well we all want more.
so its up to the people who actually pay to complain,
Well said mr hit$....Karma will prevail in the end...
Companies that produce goods and services that the public wants ... should have their "fair share" of extortion determined by bureaucraps that produce nothing but waste, fraud, and abuse?
Thank you! I think she is getting slaughtered over this...and I hate to say it but I kind of feel sorry for her. I agree with everything you said above.