Last month, this website sent a simple, straightforward Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the S.C. Department of Social Services (SCDSS) seeking information from its director, Lillian Koller, regarding “the total number of beneficiaries and total cost to taxpayers” of the food stamp programs administered by the agency.
SCDSS’ response?
“Please be advised that you have asked for records which will require extensive research and copying,” the agency’s director of constituent services and public information wrote to us (two weeks after we submitted our request).
The letter then instructs us to “narrow the scope” of our inquiry, while promising to provide us with a cost estimate for the information we requested “soon.”
More than a month later, we’ve heard nothing …
Needless to say, our founding editor Will Folks (a.k.a. “Sic Willie”) isn’t taking the agency’s evasiveness lying down.
“Your agency administers (South Carolina’s food stamp programs),” he wrote. “How does its leadership not know off the top of its head how many people these programs serve – and their cost? How would simple, straightforward information like that take ‘extensive research’ to compile?”
Last time we checked, South Carolina doled out $1.4 billion worth of food stamps each year … not very efficiently, either. In fact SCDSS has been accused of artificially lowering its error rate for this program in an effort to secure additional funding from the federal government. In fact our goal in obtaining this information is to determine the extent to which levels have risen and fallen in recent months.
We get that SCDSS doesn’t like us … or our aggressive manner of taxpayer advocacy. We also get that it doesn’t want to provide us this information.
But that doesn’t give its leadership the right to stonewall legitimate inquiries seeking the most basic information about the agency’s programs.
S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley campaigned on a platform of transparency. This is just the latest in a long line of failings on that front …
***
126 comments
The sad part is that you have to file a FOIA request to find this shit out. It shouldn’t be something they can give you off the top of their heads, it should be something that they publish the statistics of on their website.
DAMN straight, Smirks.
Exactly – be a thorn in their side! Anyway, Will, don’t you have any insiders at the agency who can clue you in on the straight dope?
The sad part is that you have to file a FOIA request to find this shit out. It shouldn’t be something they can give you off the top of their heads, it should be something that they publish the statistics of on their website.
DAMN straight, Smirks.
Exactly – be a thorn in their side! Anyway, Will, don’t you have any insiders at the agency who can clue you in on the straight dope?
Go stand in line at any SC grocery store and see the abuse. My wife and I work very hard to earn our money, and we budget it so that we may splurge on some steaks or seafood at the market. My favorite, disgusting sight at the grocery store is seeing someone pushing multiple carts, overflowing with expensive food items, all paid for with an entitlement card. Meanwhile I’m standing there with my conservative selections.
Yeah. And don’t ya love waiting in line behind the single mother that buys a gallon of milk in one transaction, then a block of cheese with another welfare check? Third transaction is a case of formula, with yet another check. Fourth is usually the regular food stuff for the EBT card. Finally a few bikini’s (at 40 pounds overweight) and a brand new watch for her pimp.
Of course this all happens in the 20 item or less line, when you’re there on a Saturday (one of the rare ones you don’t have to work) trying to pick up an extra pound of hamburger because you decided it would be nice to grill since you got one day off that month!! WTF?
While the multiple, multiple, multiple transactions for formula, milk and cheese is annoying, I don’t mind it so much because I know kids are being fed. It’s the piled high club with $300 worth of meats, walking through the store frivolously knocking things into the buggy, that bug the life out of me. That’s where the waste, fraud and abuse is, it’s not with the mother’s buying formula, at least when I see that I know they’ve not shucked the kid off on grandmama or auntie.
I hear ya, but I don’t think we shop at the same store. Come over to WM DutchSquare. Then you’ll see it.
You wanna get more upset? Follow them out to their 5 year old Explorer and watch them stack their booty into the it and roll away on a set of rims close the value of the Explorer, talking on a cell phone.
All paid for by you.
Sounds like you shop at Wal-Mart Pytel. Publix doesn’t sell bikinis. I like a deal but I get so damn depressed in Wal-Mart and the Pig that I’ll pay more for less to preserve my ever-diminishing positive outlook.
You are full of shit.
It’s 1:28 pm, I got that all out of me hours ago.
Well, most of it.
Sorry, doubters, but I have witnessed this many times. Junk food/drink counts as a purchase on the system. Shifty doesn’t tell lies. I’m not commenting on the need or usefulness of the programs for these folks. But I can tell you that I have been fortunate to have never gone a day in my life without a meal unless it was my doing.
Many Liberals claim the anecdotes surrounding Baby Mama’s with shopping carts full of loot, waiting to be stuffed in SUV’s with $3000 rims while jabbering on their government awarded cell phone is “bullshit”, “imagination”, “racism”, etc.
In their world view that’s probably the case, because they never shop at Walmart.
No, you can find them shopping at Whole Foods or some other equally expensive grocery store where they assured will not run into the riff raff of society. (white or black)
Deep down they know it’s true regardless of the cries of “foul”. They just conveniently avoid it all and to them a percentage of their government job check that goes to keep the undesirables out of their side of town and in Walmart is a small price to pay to keep the money flowing to the right areas.
Go stand in line at any SC grocery store and see the abuse. My wife and I work very hard to earn our money, and we budget it so that we may splurge on some steaks or seafood at the market. My favorite, disgusting sight at the grocery store is someone pushing multiple carts, overflowing with expensive food items, all paid for with an entitlement card. Meanwhile I’m standing there with my conservative selections.
Yeah. And don’t ya love waiting in line behind the single mother that buys a gallon of milk in one transaction, then a block of cheese with another welfare check? Third transaction is a case of formula, with yet another check. Fourth is usually the regular food stuff for the EBT card. Finally a few bikini’s (at 40 pounds overweight) and a brand new watch for her pimp.
Of course this all happens in the 20 item or less line, when you’re there on a Saturday (one of the rare ones you don’t have to work) trying to pick up an extra pound of hamburger because you decided it would be nice to grill since you got one day off that month!! WTF?
While the multiple, multiple, multiple transactions for formula, milk and cheese is annoying, I don’t mind it so much because I know kids are being fed. It’s the piled high club with $300 worth of meats, walking through the store frivolously knocking things into the buggy, that bug the life out of me. That’s where the waste, fraud and abuse is, it’s not with the mother’s buying formula, at least when I see that I know they’ve not shucked the kid off on grandmama or auntie.
I hear ya, but I don’t think we shop at the same store. Come over to WM DutchSquare. Then you’ll see it.
You wanna get more upset? Follow them out to their 5 year old Explorer and watch them stack their booty into the it and roll away on a set of rims close the value of the Explorer, talking on a cell phone.
All paid for by you.
Sounds like you shop at Wal-Mart Pytel. Publix doesn’t sell bikinis. I like a deal but I get so damn depressed in Wal-Mart and the Pig that I’ll pay more for less to preserve my ever-diminishing positive outlook.
You are full of shit.
It’s 1:28 pm, I got that all out of me hours ago.
Well, most of it.
Sorry, doubters, but I have witnessed this many times. Junk food/drink counts as a purchase on the system. Shifty doesn’t tell lies. I’m not commenting on the need or usefulness of the programs for these folks. But I can tell you that I have been fortunate to have never gone a day in my life without a meal unless it was my doing.
Many Liberals claim the anecdotes surrounding Baby Mama’s with shopping carts full of loot, waiting to be stuffed in SUV’s with $3000 rims while jabbering on their government awarded cell phone is “bullshit”, “imagination”, “racism”, etc.
In their world view that’s probably the case, because they never shop at Walmart.
No, you can find them shopping at Whole Foods or some other equally expensive grocery store where they assured will not run into the riff raff of society. (white or black)
Deep down they know it’s true regardless of the cries of “foul”. They just conveniently avoid it all and to them a percentage of their government job check that goes to keep the undesirables out of their side of town and in Walmart is a small price to pay to keep the money flowing to the right areas.
Please be advised that you have asked for records which will require extensive research and copying,” the agency’s director of constituent services and public information wrote to us (two weeks after we submitted our request).
That answer to your question should be grounds for immediate termination.
What do they have to make copies of? FITS asked for two numbers – total number of beneficiaries and total cost to taxpayers. There’s no copying involved in that. It’s two numbers.
Of course – it’s only two numbers, but that reasoning is for normal people like us.
What do they have to make copies of?
Their asses.
You see, it is quite difficult to sit your bare bottom on a copier without breaking the glass, as the glass was never meant to sustain any substantial amount of weight. They’re likely trying to find a workaround in order to prevent any injuries related to serving Willie with what they deem an appropriate response to his request.
Exactly – be a thorn in their side!
The most severely f*cked up part is, that answer most likely came from a low level employee, copy/pasting out of an email from with the line of bullshit their superior told them to deliver to the interested party. In that case there should be multiple people fired, the ones perpetrating such spoil tactics and ones delivering the message.
Please be advised that you have asked for records which will require extensive research and copying,” the agency’s director of constituent services and public information wrote to us (two weeks after we submitted our request).
That answer to your question should be grounds for immediate termination.
What do they have to make copies of? FITS asked for two numbers – total number of beneficiaries and total cost to taxpayers. There’s no copying involved in that. It’s two numbers.
Of course – it’s only two numbers, but that reasoning is for normal people like us.
What do they have to make copies of?
Their asses.
You see, it is quite difficult to sit your bare bottom on a copier without breaking the glass, as the glass was never meant to sustain any substantial amount of weight. They’re likely trying to find a workaround in order to prevent any injuries related to serving Willie with what they deem an appropriate response to his request.
Exactly – be a thorn in their side!
The most severely f*cked up part is, that answer most likely came from a low level employee, copy/pasting out of an email from with the line of bullshit their superior told them to deliver to the interested party. In that case there should be multiple people fired, the ones perpetrating such spoil tactics and ones delivering the message.
The gov’t is accountable to none dear citizens. You will continue to give them your money and they will continue to do what they please.
File whatever papers make you think are “making a difference”. Remain calm and carry on. They are in control, not you.
They Live 1998. Awesome movie.
The gov’t is accountable to none dear citizens. You will continue to give them your money and they will continue to do what they please.
File whatever papers make you think are “making a difference”. Remain calm and carry on. They are in control, not you.
They Live 1998. Awesome movie.
take ‘extensive research’ to compile?”
Let us see why it would take so much time
Request has to be stamped and dated
33 copies to go to all Administrators who work at home
Meeting with Legal
Legal calls in Consulting Legals
Consulting Legals call in Co-consulting Legals
Meet with all Legals
All Legals say go ahead and respond
Response drawn up
Copies forwarded to 33 Administrators who work at home
All 33 Administrators responses are forwarded to Legal
Legal calls in Consulting Legals
Consulting Legals call in Co-Consulting Legals
Meet with all Legals
All Legals agree on response, “Dear fits: fuck off”
Or
fits could pick up phone, pretend to be a staffer with Senator Graham’s office, state that Senator Graham has a little over $12 million in grant money that he can send right down if someone could tell him the total number of beneficiaries and total cost to taxpayers of the food stamp programs administered by the agency
Conversation overhead by $12,000/year part time clerk: ‘tell the little fairy fucker we got 1,732,756 titty suckers and they are draining Mother Carolina’s tits at the rate of 1½ pints per second per tit which comes to an annual cost of $41,782,752.69+- a few pennies or drops depending on whether you are a suckee or sucker
I gave you a point for originality and humor, funny.
to
I gave you a point for originality and humor, funny.
How do all you wingnuts know how people are paying for their groceries? You must be breathing down their necks in the checkout line. Creepers.
I think you’re all lying. I always hear these stories from right wingers, and I don’t believe them. In all the 10,000 times I have stood in a grocery store checkout line, I have never had such an experience.
Shouldn’t you be out turning water into wine or something?
Shouldn’t you be looking for a job?
Of course theyre lying.Its a favorite pastime here.This is the way it works:
Fits posts some breathless report on some topic and then the posters here fall all over themselves to be the biggest “outraged” of all,replete with personal anecdotes etc.Great fun but meant to be “serious?”Of course not.
Dear Shit Piss Fuck
I represent that remark.
thanks for your time and have a great day
jimlewisowb
I wouldn’t exactly call a corrupt state agency attempting to thwart simple information gathering, a breathless report. Whatever works for you, troll.
Everyone here is a “troll” Ellington.Dont you get it?Oh thats right youre too busy watching food stamp people pushing buggies in grocery stores!That was original by the way.
There’s also the phenomenon of dragging 3 or 4 generations of family members on shopping excursions that I didn’t touch on. Is that “original” enough for ya?
No its not.Why not comment on the Cadillac outside that they stuffed the groceries in?Wait!Ronnie Reagan used that one!Oh well,try again.
Cadillac’s are soooo 1980’s, the Range Rover Sport is where it’s at these days.
Chrysler 300s, Dodge Chargers, buy-here pay-here paper tags that have turned yellow, always parked in the handicap spaces, these aren’t stereotypes, these are demographics of the Greater Columbia area in general. If you want a real laugh check out the chicken feet at the meat counter in Batesburg. Somethings taste better fried but damn, what could be left to eat but bone. Oh, I get it, fried bones. How does one get fat from eating fried bones?
They need to just rename those “Expectant Mother” spaces something along the lines of “Expectant Diabetic”.
“check out the chicken feet at the meat counter in Batesburg”
==========
“Scratchers!” Too funny. I haven’t heard a word about those for many years.
Dude has a lot of time on his hands, doesn’t he?
I stood in a line at the BP while a fatass African American woman wearing BigBird pajamas held up the line counting out quarters for a case of beer and some Swisher Sweets while her 160 pound 2.5 foot short son stood in the candy aisle screaming that he wanted some sweet tarts. She turned and screamed that she couldn’t afford him any candy and the little motherfucker screamed back “don’t you got your snap card in yo pocket?”.. She returned to counting her money out of a Goddamned sock for the booze and blunt rollers and yelled at the top of her lungs that he “could see that her mo-fucking pants ain’t got no pockets.”
Jesus H. Christ, that is a true story. How about ass-nuts like you stop staring into the oblivion of your smart phone and work on your powers of observation or is that too much to AX? …Smoke a fucking goat some people. I bet you drive a Smart car too, don’t you.
That’s a funny anecdote.
“I think you’re all lying. I always hear these stories from right wingers, and I don’t believe them.”
===============
From a variety of racists (right up to Klanners’ wives) I used to hear similar but far worse tales about black people, all posed as first-person direct observations. When I began to hear the exact same unlikely story from distant and totally unconnected bigots, I realized they were simply commonplace slanders passed mouth to drooling mouth. Much later, in reading about European anti-Semitism, I read of much the same pattern.
How do all you wingnuts know how people are paying for their groceries? You must be breathing down their necks in the checkout line. Creepers.
I think you’re all lying. I always hear these stories from right wingers, and I don’t believe them. In all the 10,000 times I have stood in a grocery store checkout line, I have never had such an experience.
Shouldn’t you be out turning water into wine or something?
Shouldn’t you be looking for a job?
Of course theyre lying.Its a favorite pastime here.This is the way it works:
Fits posts some breathless report on some topic and then the posters here fall all over themselves to be the biggest “outraged” of all,replete with personal anecdotes etc.Great fun but meant to be “serious?”Of course not.
Dear Shit Piss Fuck
I represent that remark.
thanks for your time and have a great day
jimlewisowb
I wouldn’t exactly call a corrupt state agency attempting to thwart simple information gathering, a breathless report. Whatever works for you, troll.
Everyone here is a “troll” Ellington.Dont you get it?Oh thats right youre too busy watching food stamp people pushing buggies in grocery stores!That was original by the way.
There’s also the phenomenon of dragging 3 or 4 generations of family members on shopping excursions that I didn’t touch on. Is that “original” enough for ya?
No its not.Why not comment on the Cadillac outside that they stuffed the groceries in?Wait!Ronnie Reagan used that one!Oh well,try again.
Cadillac’s are soooo 1980’s, the Range Rover Sport is where it’s at these days.
Chrysler 300s, Dodge Chargers, buy-here pay-here paper tags that have turned yellow, always parked in the handicap spaces, these aren’t stereotypes, these are demographics of the Greater Columbia area in general. If you want a real laugh check out the chicken feet at the meat counter in Batesburg. Somethings taste better fried but damn, what could be left to eat but bone. Oh, I get it, fried bones. How does one get fat from eating fried bones?
They need to just rename those “Expectant Mother” spaces something along the lines of “Expectant Diabetic”.
“check out the chicken feet at the meat counter in Batesburg”
==========
“Scratchers!” Too funny. I haven’t heard a word about those for many years.
Dude has a lot of time on his hands, doesn’t he?
I stood in a line at the BP while a fatass African American woman wearing BigBird pajamas held up the line counting out quarters for a case of beer and some Swisher Sweets while her 160 pound 2.5 foot short son stood in the candy aisle screaming that he wanted some sweet tarts. She turned and screamed that she couldn’t afford him any candy and the little motherfucker screamed back “don’t you got your snap card in yo pocket?”.. She returned to counting her money out of a Goddamned sock for the booze and blunt rollers and yelled at the top of her lungs that he “could see that her mo-fucking pants ain’t got no pockets.”
Jesus H. Christ, that is a true story. How about ass-nuts like you stop staring into the oblivion of your smart phone and work on your powers of observation or is that too much to AX? …Smoke a fucking goat some people. I bet you drive a Smart car too, don’t you.
That’s a funny anecdote.
“I think you’re all lying. I always hear these stories from right wingers, and I don’t believe them.”
===============
From a variety of racists (right up to Klanners’ wives) I used to hear similar but far worse tales about black people, all posed as first-person direct observations. When I began to hear the exact same unlikely story from distant and totally unconnected bigots, I realized they were simply commonplace slanders passed mouth to drooling mouth. Much later, in reading about European anti-Semitism, I read of much the same pattern.
There are two ways to see this. The administrator either doesn’t know the numbers requested or that same administrator is not responding to an FOI request. Either way that individual should be fired on the spot. Come on, Nikki, show us some real transparency.
They’d have those numbers in one hour flat if a state senator’s office called to ask. Or if they wanted to brag about the magnitude of their responsibility.
There are two ways to see this. The administrator either doesn’t know the numbers requested or that same administrator is not responding to an FOI request. Either way that individual should be fired on the spot. Come on, Nikki, show us some real transparency.
They’d have those numbers in one hour flat if a state senator’s office called to ask. Or if they wanted to brag about the magnitude of their responsibility.
I would also be curious what percentage of the food stamp recipients are african americans.
Eh. White trash, Black trash. What’s the difference?
What does it matter?
I would also be curious what percentage of the food stamp recipients are african americans.
Eh. White trash, Black trash. What’s the difference?
What does it matter?
Don’t let them stall you on coping costs…tell them to put the information on a disk!
Don’t let them stall you on coping costs…tell them to put the information on a disk!
The USDA site:
Avg. monthly SC participants FY 2912 – 869,801
The December 2012 report FY year 2011:
SC persons participating monthly – 844,405
SC households – 390,936
SC issuance – $1,339,644,859…flowing through the grocery and other EBT eligible businesses of the state.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/qc/pdfs/2011_state_activity.pdf
That billion, with a “B” people.
Nice find. Wonder if it’s reliable?
GOD DAWG ALL MIGHTY. THAT’S 1586.49 PER PERSON. FUCK ME. THAT’S DAMN NEAR MY FUCKING TAKE HOME PAY. WTF IS THIS SHIT. I WORK NEAR 50 FUCKING HOURS PER WEEK EVERY FUCKING DAMNED WEEK (Love my job). WTF GOD DAWG DADBURNNED MF JACKBOOT SONSABITCHECUNTSFROMMACHINERYGENITALIASACKSOSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FUFUFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK
This is how the “pile it high” crowd is able to afford an entire buggy full of expensive meats.
FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK
Yes, $1,586 per person if divided equally, but that’s not on a per-month basis, that’s for the entire fiscal year of 2011. $1,586/yr. turns into $132/month. That amount changes based on various factors I’m sure, especially number of dependents under your care.
I can’t feed my family on $132/month.
I know someone I used to work with who gets less than $620 in SS Retirement – only income – and is eligible for about $100 per month food stamps.
I believe the issuance amount is for the entire fiscal year.
Looks that way to me.
Check out the link.
And they only find there to be, roughly, 10% fraud. When you offset that number with the flat out lazy, it would at least jump to 25%. That’s being conservative.
In SC’s defense, we are a dirt poor state and our unemployment rates are pretty high, especially in rural areas. I’m sure there’s plenty of fraud that could be stopped, and while I’m sure there’s plenty of lazy people on welfare, there is a ton of folks who have no other recourse. Only economic development will solve that problem.
Oh I totally realize all of that. Speaking of (faux) economic development, did you see the Steve Benjamin ribbon cutting at the Vista Chipotle yesterday? WFT? It’s a mediocre chain restaurant.
The USDA site:
Avg. monthly SC participants FY 2012 – 869,801
The December 2012 report FY year 2011:
SC persons participating monthly – 844,405
SC households – 390,936
SC issuance – $1,339,644,859…flowing through the grocery and other EBT eligible businesses of the state.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/qc/pdfs/2011_state_activity.pdf
That billion, with a “B” people.
Nice find. Wonder if it’s reliable?
GOD DAWG ALL MIGHTY. THAT’S 1586.49 PER PERSON. FUCK ME. THAT’S DAMN NEAR MY FUCKING TAKE HOME PAY. WTF IS THIS SHIT. I WORK NEAR 50 FUCKING HOURS PER WEEK EVERY FUCKING DAMNED WEEK (Love my job). WTF GOD DAWG DADBURNNED MF JACKBOOT SONSABITCHECUNTSFROMMACHINERYGENITALIASACKSOSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FUFUFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK
I have a family of four (total) and I probably spend $100 a week at the grocery store to feed my family nutritious meals. Blow it out your ass Bakari.
FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK
Yes, $1,586 per person if divided equally, but that’s not on a per-month basis, that’s for the entire fiscal year of 2011. $1,586/yr. turns into $132/month. That amount changes based on various factors I’m sure, especially number of dependents under your care.
I can’t feed my family on $132/month.
I know someone I used to work with who gets less than $620 in SS Retirement – only income – and is eligible for about $100 per month food stamps.
I believe the issuance amount is for the entire fiscal year.
Looks that way to me.
Check out the link.
And they only find there to be, roughly, 10% fraud. When you offset that number with the flat out lazy, it would at least jump to 25%. That’s being conservative.
In SC’s defense, we are a dirt poor state and our unemployment rates are pretty high, especially in rural areas. I’m sure there’s plenty of fraud that could be stopped, and while I’m sure there’s plenty of lazy people on welfare, there is a ton of folks who have no other recourse. Only economic development will solve that problem.
Oh I totally realize all of that. Speaking of (faux) economic development, did you see the Steve Benjamin ribbon cutting at the Vista Chipotle yesterday? WFT? It’s a mediocre chain restaurant.
http://bigstory.ap.org/interactive/food-stamps
Here is the information you were looking for Will.
http://bigstory.ap.org/interactive/food-stamps
Here is the information you were looking for Will.
Redneck City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozajnqh4V8M
you people should put your heads in Wal-Mart bags,and go to bed
Redneck City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozajnqh4V8M
you people should put your heads in Wal-Mart bags,and go to bed