December 31, 2012

EBT cards should be used to help the truly needy

Kennebec Journal Staff

I was recently in a local convenience store paying for gas, when the clerk pointed out to me that the guy in front of me just used his electronic benefit transfer card cash allotment to buy a 12-pack of beer, two packs of smokes and a few lottery tickets. It was hard for me to believe they could use their taxpayer-funded EBT card to buy that stuff; I thought it is just to help truly needy families buy food. So I checked with another local store owner who tells me EBT cash is a major income stream for him; selling beer, wine, smokes, lottery tickets etc.

As I sit here pondering how we could have gotten so far afield from helping the truly needy, it occurs to me that we are now helping people get lung cancer, drink and gamble on the back of the hard-working taxpayer.

So, all you taxpayers rejoice in the fact your hard-earned tax money is being squandered helping the truly unneedy.

Larry Davis

Hallowell

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