Welfare Reform

By Michael W. "Mike" Fitzgerald

Welfare reform and its challenge of moving welfare recipients to work will be a top priority of California's legislature. We need to use both the private and public sectors to build a competitive, market-based approach to moving welfare recipients from dependence on government hand-outs to economic self-sufficiency.

Make work pay more than welfare by limiting the maximum CalWorks (welfare) payment to the amount equal to working a 40-hour week at the minimum wage.

Require county welfare departments to shift current focus from social case work to job development.

Reward work over welfare by offering child care, health benefits, and transportation vouchers to help former welfare recipients remain in the labor market.

Promote self-employment through the use of micro-enterprise grants to tap the entrepreneurial talents of the disadvantaged.

Encourage community-based solutions aimed at discouraging teenage pregnancy.

Get tougher on child support enforcement to compel the absent parent to pay his/her fair share.