Affirmative Options Coalition 2-14-2000
This Action Alert recommends support of
Governor Ventura's proposed spending of
MN Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reserves on programs
to help families become self-sufficient in various ways.
Minnesota NOW is a member of the Affirmative Options Coalition which is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals advocating and organizing a comprehensive approach to welfare reform and economic security. If you have been a MN NOW member for awhile, you know that this has been one of our core issues that we continue to work hard on.
Our Legislative Coordinator, Rachel Callanan, also our Affirmative Options Coalition liaison, asks you to take the time to read this alert and make the appropriate telephone calls to YOUR OWN Legislators AND the appropriate Senate and House leaders (listed at the end of the alert).
Support $173 Million Ventura TANF Reserve Spending Proposal
On February 2nd Governor Jesse Ventura
announced a proposal to spend $173 million of the state's Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) reserve on new initiatives to support families and to help people get and
keep jobs.
His proposal includes the following:
* $55 million in local intervention grants: to address the needs of hard-to-employ
families.
* $83 million for housing: $15 million in a revolving loan fund to provide low-cost
mortgages; $39.5 million for new production and rehabilitation of rental housing;
elimination of a provision to count $100 of public housing subsidies as income against
MFIP benefits.
* $10 million for after school programs for children.
* $24 million for child support payments passed through directly to families.
The Governor's proposal uses the TANF reserve on a creative mixture of
strategies to support families who are trying to become self-sufficient. It
acknowledges that successful welfare reform will require investments in affordable
housing, transportation assistance, workforce development and in services to the
hard-to-employ. The proposal also includes only new investments. It does not resort to
shell games in which TANF dollars are used to replace existing state spending, as happened
in the 1999 session.
The Legislature must now respond to the Governor's ambitious proposal.
Reaction at the legislature is mixed. There are particular concerns about using the
money for affordable housing. Therefore, legislators need to hear from supporters of
this proposal now!
Call your own legislator (Senate info: 296-0504; House info; 296-2146) and
the key legislative leaders listed below.
Message:
Support successful welfare
reform. Support the Governor's TANF Proposal.
Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe 651-296-2577
Speaker of the House Steve Sviggum 651-296-2273
House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty 651-296-4128
Representative Dan McElroy 651-296-4212
If you would like
more information, please contact MN NOW
at 651-222-1605
or contact Jason Walsh @ Affirmative Options @ 612-642-1904 or 1-800-289-1904
Thank you for your support of women's rights & women's voices in Minnesota.
© 2000 Minnesota NOW