Grove Alarmed by Findings in Auditor General’s Report on EBT Cards
HARRISBURG – State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale released a report which found the Department of Human Services (DHS) put public assistance benefits into accounts belonging to 2,324 deceased Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cardholders.
In response to the report, State Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) said he was alarmed to learn of such mismanagement of taxpayer dollars and called on DHS to implement recommendations laid out in the report.
“I applaud the Auditor General’s Office for its
thorough report that brought this waste of taxpayer dollars to light. Since his days in the House, Eugene has been a champion for taxpayers and though he and I haven’t always seen eye-to-eye on every issue, we both share the belief that government must be a good shepherd of the money you entrust it with,” Grove said. “The findings laid out in the report showcase why there must be greater oversight in state government.”
EBT cards, also known as ACCESS cards, provide people with public assistance through electronic access to their benefits from programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and employment-related expenses.
The report, which found additional faults in public assistance programs, states DHS changed its policy and now requires caseworkers to take immediate action when they learn of the death of someone who received benefits. DePasquale noted DHS altered its policy only after receiving a draft of the report.
“DHS is the single largest cost driver in our state's budget. This report highlights the continued need for more stringent legislative oversight and financial scrutiny. As we highlighted in the Taxpayers' Caucus report, there are significant and quantifiable savings throughout the budget.”
Representative Seth Grove
196th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
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