Beckley, WV (WOAY) – West Virginia Treasurer Larry Pack says the state did not have to shut down its school clothing voucher program, and he disputes the claim that the money had run out.
The state opened clothing voucher applications July 20 and closed them seven days later, after about 52,000 applications were received, saying funding had been exhausted. Pack says the numbers do not support that.
“No. There’s about well over $100 million in that account. If it’s 52,000 students, they spent about ten [million]. You can’t run out of money in a 12 month budget in the first 30 days. So, no, they did not run out of money. I think maybe they had a number they wanted to spend that was kind of an arbitrary number, but it wasn’t a number that was that was passed by the legislature, much less explained to the legislature,” Pack said.
The Governor’s Office maintains the state has been spending more on TANF programs than the federal grant provides, and that the savings covering the difference are almost gone. The Governor’s Office also says the state will spend roughly the same amount on the voucher program as it did last year.
The governor has also said nearly half the voucher money was being pulled out as cash at ATMs, a claim that came after the program closed. Pack is skeptical of it.
“So we think he just kind of pivoted a little bit because when he made his comments in May, it wasn’t about fraud. When he made the comments, when they opened the program July 20th, it wasn’t about fraud, when they closed on July 27th wasn’t about fraud. Now, all of a sudden, two days ago, he’s kind of changing the subject a little bit,” Pack said.
The pushback comes as state Sen. Brian Helton prepares an oversight hearing next week on how the voucher money is spent. Helton also wants the cards restricted so they cannot be used at ATMs. Pack says he is open to the idea but believes the timing is wrong.
“I think it’s fine, but just don’t do it in the middle of the process. I think it’s a good conversation to have. And if that’s what the legislature decides to do, I think that’s great. But give people plenty of notice. Don’t do it in the middle program. Don’t do it two weeks before school starts,” Pack said.
Applications remain closed, but the state says those filed before the cutoff are still being processed. The Governor’s Office says it plans to ask lawmakers for up to $15 million to keep TANF programs running through next summer.
