In trying financial times, it's not good public policy to also deny aid to those who need economic support, but needlessly forfeit money to the federal government.
But Michigan is apparently doing both. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday the state has to pay a fine of $24.7 million for having the nation's second-worst food stamp error rate. Michigan's error rate was 14.1 percent in 2002.
In the same year, only California was worse with a 14.8-percent error rate.
While in the midst of a recession, it's wholly irresponsible for the state to be inaccurate with financial aid to those living in poverty. To avoid being fined in the future, Michigan needs to shape up its food stamp program to ensure those who need the program reap its benefits.
Error rates are determined by the number of ineligible people who receive food stamps, and those who don't receive food stamps but should.
Jean Daniel, a spokeswoman for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, said Michigan gave out nearly $61.5 million in food stamps to those who shouldn't have received them. The state failed to give out $23.9 million in stamps to eligible citizens.
With such large discrepancies, it's hard to imagine how the state could make such a mistake. But evidently, we've been consistent.
From 1995 to 2001, Michigan has been ordered to pay the USDA $64.5 million in fines.
A portion of the fines were waived after promises from the state to reinvest the money in the food stamp program.
Apparently, the state has been deceiving the federal government, since nothing is changing.
There's no reason for Michigan to have this kind of discrepancy in its numbers. Accuracy would not only avoid fines, but properly help those in the state who need it.
In February, the state audited the food stamp program of Michigan's Family Independence Agency and found ineffective technology for matching wages with food stamp totals. The audit also found inadequate service for small, rural communities.
Though it might not be rural, one of those smaller communities might be Benton Harbor.
The predominately black community with a 25-percent unemployment rate recently rioted, forcing the state to finally look at the struggle of the city's people.
While it's good that Gov. Jennifer Granholm is giving $500,000 to city officials for jobs, the state could have provided more money if it weren't irresponsible with its food stamp program.
Furthermore, it's cities like Benton Harbor that are feeling the brunt of Michigan's inability to manage the food stamp program. Instead of giving money to those in need, the state is losing its money to the federal government.
States such as South Dakota, Mississippi and Texas, whose error rates were all below 5 percent, received cash bonuses from the USDA.
With that kind of incentive, included with the need to fight poverty in Michigan, there's no reason for the state not to clean up its act and improve the food stamp program.
