BLACK CAUCUS DISCUSSION CENTERS ON WELFARE REFORM

CHARLESTON -- Angela Gary is concerned for her friends.

In five years, welfare as it has been for more than 50 years will end. The question of what will replace it concerns Gary, a single mother.

Gary, who volunteers for a church missionary, said she favors a return of a church- and community-centered welfare system. But, she said, five years is not a long time to prepare for the added burden that will be placed on local pantries and assistance organizations.

"We need to start getting ready now. There needs to be a weaning process," she said. "I see it happening already. Mothers with three or four children whose father has left -- they just can't make ends meet."

Gary was one of the more than 100 people who attended The Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Thursday night at Charleston.20The caucus was presented by state Reps. Gracia Backer, D-New Bloomfield; Denny Meredith III, I-Caruthersville; Joe Heckemeyer, D-Sikeston; and Mary G. Bland, D-Kansas City; state Sen. Phil Curls Sr., D-Kansas City; and state department officials James Robnett and Jackie McGee.

Discussion focused on changes in national welfare and the steps the state is and isn't taking to modify those changes locally.

Regardless of what the state enacts, one thing will not change and that is the end of welfare, Curls said. "Drastic changes are already in place. The five-year clock is already ticking," he said.

The state Senate failed to pass legislation that would have guaranteed day-care services for working mothers, enacted stricter penalties in child support cases and allowed some leeway in the welfare code for grandparents who are supporting their grandchildren.

Curls said the bill failed in Senate because of filibusters and lengthy discussions on other bills.

Backer, the House majority leader, said it was a shame the state didn't pass the reforms this year. But, she said, the groundwork has been laid and discussions have been established for passing the legislation next year.

"We named the catfish as the state fish and we defeated welfare reform," Backer said, shaking her head.

Some of the issues that were covered in House Bill 202 were the development of a fund that would have provided assistance to "adults who are unable to meet the federal work requirements." That would have covered grandparents who are the primary guardians of their grandchildren.

According to federal welfare reform, individuals on welfare must attain employment within two years to keep their benefits.

Curls said legislation was also introduced that would have allowed the state to revoke such things as driver's, hunting, professional or business licenses for those people convicted of not making child support payments.

"This was a serious attempt to get parents to take responsibility for their children," he said. "It is important to tell our young men that they will not be able to father children and then just walk away."

Legislation was also defeated that would have provided benefits to "assure a reasonable standard of living to children who meet eligibility requirements." The state did approve a $22 million budget increase for the Missouri Department of Social Services Division of Family Service, the agency that distributes day-care subsidy payments for needy families.

The legislation would also have put in place programs to provide public assistance recipients the opportunity for "education which will lead to full-time employment with benefits."

Bland said job training is one of the areas that will become increasingly more important as the "five-year clock" continues to run down.

"In two years, if you don't get a job you are out; your funds will be over -- period," she said. "What we're doing is setting up a system of chaos."

Bland said it is imperative to pass legislation that will provide day care for working parents and establish job training programs to prepare recipients to join the work force. She said welfare reform has not been a priority with legislators because welfare recipients traditionally do not vote.

"Seventy-three percent of the welfare recipients in my district are not registered to vote," Bland said. "Legislators have said to my face, 'What do we care about what they think?'"

She said change begins with voters. People have to ask themselves what they have done to make a difference and then they have to ask what their representatives are doing, Bland said.

"This is not a black issue; it's a people issue," she said. "Your weapon is your vote. If you don't use it then shame on you."