Boston– A recent report from the Boston Herald revealed that EBT cards issued to Massachusetts welfare recipients have been used out of state, including in popular vacation destinations such as Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Alaska, and in 165 cities and towns in California, as well as 293 cities and towns in Florida, among many others across the nation. The Department of Transitional Assistance, the agency responsible for administering these EBT cards, states that its mission is to “empower low-income individuals and families to meet their basic needs, improve quality of life, and achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency.” While spending hundreds of taxpayer dollars on trips to Hawaii may enhance one’s quality of life, this is clearly not the intended purpose of the program.
MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale commented on this shocking revelation, stating, “This is yet another example of the extreme lack of government oversight of taxpayer dollars. Ordinary Massachusetts taxpayers are already struggling with inflation and the high cost of living in our state. It’s a slap in the face that the Healey-Driscoll Administration shows such little respect for how Massachusetts residents’ hard-earned money is being spent.”
State Sen. Peter Durant (R-Spencer) joined the MassGOP Chair stating,”On the face of it, it seems these EBT cards are being used in posh vacation destinations while many Massachusetts taxpayers who fund this program struggle to pay for a modest vacation weekend on the Cape,” said Durant. “We have allowed a level of trust for people who receive this assistance and we’ve believed that they would use the funds to help their families in a time of need. It’s a sad day when we again have to consider legislating common sense and honesty.”
State Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton) expressed his outrage, stating, “This is outrageous and needs to change through reform. Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for others to spend money intended to assist Massachusetts residents who have fallen on hard times in other states. There is no doubt that the Governor should be figuring out who is abusing these tax dollars and how they’re removed from the system. More can and must be done to ensure that those who need assistance are receiving it and those who are abusing the system can no longer benefit from it.”