Number of welfare cases up slightly

Friday, June 20, 2003 | 9:18 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The number of people receiving welfare benefits from the state increased slightly in May but it is still 17 percent lower than a year ago.

That's one of the areas in which Republican Assembly members are looking to cut money in the biennial budget. The budget already approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Kenny Guinn included welfare funding based on larger estimates. Republicans in the Assembly want to reopen that budget and whittle it down to reduce the tax increase needed.

The budget requires $869 million in new tax revenue.

The state Welfare Division reported Thursday that 29,132 people were enrolled in the Temporary Assistance To Needy Families program in May, an increase of 0.7 percent from April.

The May 2003 total is down from the 35,122 recipients in May 2002, however.

The division said the Legislature appropriated enough money for an average monthly caseload of 32,984 next year and 36,143 the following year.

Although the enrollment is stagnant for now, Tami Dufresne, coordinator for research and statistics in the welfare division, said she is concerned there could be a rise in numbers.

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, said Thursday that welfare is one area that is being examined to see if the future estimate of cases is too high. He said there is no intention to cut benefits, just to possibly lower the projections on growth and save money.

While the welfare grant program is showing a year-to-year decrease, Medicaid numbers have grown by 9.1 percent from May 2002. The total last month was 169,844. The division said the 109,335 people receiving food stamps in April was an 11.3 percent increase over the total a year ago.

Dufresne said food stamps are a "true indicator" of people's needs in Nevada. She said 47 of every 1,000 Nevada residents are now receiving food stamp assistance.

Guinn said the drop in welfare cases is encouraging. But he said welfare is only "one small part of the spectrum." Food stamp caseloads are at an all-time high and Medicaid caseloads continue to rise, he said.

"When you examine these issues in conjunction with an economy that could still be adversely affected by factors such as the recent SARS epidemic and continued terrorism threats, you can see why caution is prudent," said Guinn in a news release.

Hettrick said as people on welfare leave the aid program, they tend to drop off of Medicaid in about one year.