ÿWPC5  O_Óų‡”„½5,& =æz-ØnùitT:·DéZÕµa.”¢ðÛ½žªIrA#¼1ðeøºx+ _se“ i¾•$O]çFç }c&üÏø·Êg‚Ã^³b„çÌAfoÀóÂuñàœ6uaï&%ÞÕß~­¶¶s\»æÛ¢J¥1|,Ÿˆ%±à¹ÐâHJ8ôÎùëŽuæPÝlüRßUgæ‰M–­Æ Om¨}“’rm¤]/2ìÜšµú%ËÈÅML],…zµÍË:/4üt7‘µŠÄ>°(+2ç`êS[""S7T‹QxÉê°ûèÅDuámlñXE}†ÃU?Z%>ö¡Æ"膧ÇJùÒàƒy¥t1Òñx¿ö«Ù {øn(ûºAi£øÉBϳO_êwxY¶"˜#f9KùšÀ”Èv3ºÉ¶eQÓq$Çïx nrBÿŲÕÉðOÁž~d²œ8»¤fáì!Ëôb”ЖnãñÎÞØ]þƒ×NÆp¯QÞ–Ü$td/9¼%·A -}˜ðÑKä·’‹+ºØFˆÁcPÕnôt“Ц ‘†—c¬v\ï98¬e¿ñµ:“^©…ЮĒ8{Ÿ>§J––3û±ès³œAŠÈžT V„"#!BUNc %± 0(·^ ßw@ë4+?N mPNg 0ci 0wÌ 0ŠC 0 Í 0´m 0Ç! 0Ûè 0ïà 1‡² 1u9 1‡® ˜HP LaserJet 4L,ü,,,,,ü0(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡rN,Þ   E  EE£Di?,R„°~2ˆBsxêv•3|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ(;3£$´´Ô2#ÔÚ  Ú0Ú  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0  à(Oé;$µµà0  àÔ2#ÔÚ  ÚaÚ  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0` (#(#à(b·¤$¶¶à0  àà0` (#(#àÔ2#ÔÚ  ÚÚ  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0¸ ` (#` (#à(xir$··à0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àÔ2#Ô(Ú  Ú0Ú  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0¸ (#¸ (#à(ŒÜ$¸¸à0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àà0¸ (#¸ (#àÔ2#Ô(Ú  ÚaÚ  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0h(#(#à(ŸF$¹¹à0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àà0¸ (#¸ (#àà0h(#(#àÔ2#Ô(Ú  ÚÚ  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0Àh(#h(#à(³Àô$ººà0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àà0¸ (#¸ (#àà0h(#(#àà0Àh(#h(#àÔ2#ÔÚ  Ú0Ú  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0À(#À(#à(ǵ{$»»à0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àà0¸ (#¸ (#àà0h(#(#àà0Àh(#h(#àà0À(#À(#àÔ2#ÔÚ  ÚaÚ  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0p(#(#à hœAG_cgkosw{Bullet ListBullet List3#37=CIQYag­­1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)(5hCEKQW]cioAutoList11.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÑ8€‡mXXdìdÈ8Ñò òÔ‡Š‘û‹XXÔññÓ  ÓññFPI€Comments€on€Ô_ÔSCAAÔ_Ô/OTDA€ññNovember/ññDecember€ñ ñ2001€ñ ñDraft€ñ ñof€the€New€YorkÐ ° ÐState€ñ ññ ññ ñGovernment„Advoñ ññ ñññÔ_ÔJoiññññññuntññññññnyÔ_Ô€ð ðGovernment/Advocatesðð€Sign„On€ñññ ññ ñiñ ññ ññ ññ ñcatesñ ññ ñReport€on€TANF€Reauthorizationó óÔ#†X‡mX‹Š‘ûf#ÔÐ ° ÐññÓŠÓññÌòòIntroduction€Ð œì ÐóóÌThe€document€currently€says€that€the€intent€is€for€the€recommendations€in€the€document€to€"beÏthe€basis€of€a€broad€agenda€agreed€to€by€state€government€and€various€statewide€human€servicesÏadvocacy€and€provider€organizations."€In€order€to€generate€more€organizations€willing€and€able€toÏsign€on€to€the€document,€it€would€be€good€to€have€the€document€spell€out€at€the€beginning€thatÏthese€are€the€areas€where€folks€can€agree€and€that€there€are€other€issues€where€they€may€pressÏdifferent€views.€ÌÌÌòòPage€OneóóÐ Ô$  ÐÌA.€€On€page€1,€I€have€the€following€comments€on€the€bulleted€list€of€the€ways€in€which€TANFÏfunds€are€used€in€NYS:ÌÌ1.€€Should€the€lead€in€refer€to€MOE€funds€as€well€as€TANF€funds?€€For€example€ð ðIn€New€YorkÏState,€TANF€block€grant€funds€and€related€MOE€resources€are€used€in€many€ways,€including:ððÌÌ2.€€The€bulleted€items€should€probably€begin€with€noun€forms€of€the€verbs€involved.€€For€example,Ïin€the€first€bullet,€providing€rather€than€provide.ÌÌ3.€€In€the€second€bullet€we€are€in€effect€saying€ð ðSupport€.....€supports€that€help€families€end€...ðð€ÏThe€wording€of€this€bullet€should€be€improved.€€ÌÌ4.€€Substantively€in€the€second€bullet,,€I€would€add€the€words€ð ðand€maintainingðð€between€theÏwords€ð ðsecuringðð€and€ð ðemployment.ððÌÌ5.€€The€fifth€bullet€seems€a€little€out€of€place,€dealing€as€it€does€with€a€very€specific€use€of€fundsÏwhile€the€first€four€bullets€all€deal€with€big€picture€types€of€approaches.€€This€is€evidenced€by€theÏfact€that€this€use€of€funds€is€one€of€the€long€list€of€examples€of€specific€programs€and€services€inÏthe€next€paragraph.Ìà  àà ` àà ¸ àÌB.€€In€the€list€of€programs€and€services€in€the€third€paragraph€on€page€1,€should€we€addÏtransitional€employment?€€I€would€be€interested€in€the€advice€of€other€organizations€that€haveÏbeen€supportive€of€Ô_ÔefforstÔ_Ô€to€increase€the€use€of€TANF€and€related€programs€for€transitionalÏemployment€programs?ÌÌC.€€In€the€fourth€paragraph,€for€purposes€of€parallelism€in€the€construction€of€the€sentence€I€wouldÏchange€the€word€ð ðstateðð€to€ð ðstatesðð€and€the€word€ð ðitsðð€to€ð ðtheir.ðð€€In€the€part€of€this€sentenceÏdealing€with€flexibility,€should€the€phrase€ð ðTANF€fundingðð€be€changed€to€ð ðTANF€block€grant€andÐ +à&* Ðrelated€MOE€resources?ððÌÔ_ÔÌòòPage€TwoóóÐ ˆØ ÐÌD.€€In€the€numbered€list€of€TANF€Funding€Recommendations€on€page€2,€I€donððt€see€why€in€aÏdocument€like€this€we€need€the€long€caveat€at€the€beginning€of€Item€#2€when€we€donððt€have€anyÏsimilar€caveats€in€front€of€any€of€the€other€recommendations.€€In€this€regard,€I€would€changeÏð ðExplore€the€Concept€of€Annually€Indexingðð€to€Index.€€The€body€of€this€section€of€the€paperÏcertainly€makes€the€case€for€indexing€the€size€of€the€grant.ÌÌE.€€In€regard€to€Items€#2€and€#3,€I€think€both€the€federal€block€grant€and€the€MOE€requirementÏshould€be€indexed€to€inflation€with€the€proviso€that€during€recessions€the€federal€governmentÏshould€cover€the€required€increase€in€the€MOE.€€This€would€be€a€counter„cyclical€measure€since€itÏis€the€federal€governmentððs€responsibility€to€manage€the€economy€through€the€uses€of€fiscal€andÏmonetary€policy€while€the€states€are€required€to€balance€their€budgets€every€year€whether€timesÏare€good€or€bad.ÌÌF.€€€There€is€no€mention€of€the€need€for€anti-supplantation€language€in€the€federal€statute.€€ThisÏlanguage€will€be€key€to€securing€not€only€a€COLA,€but€also€the€current€level€of€block€grantÏfunding.ÌÌG.€€The€fifth€recommendation€is€too€specific€and€should€be€more€broadly€stated€to€support€anyÏfunding€mechanism€that€directs€additional€funds€to€states€in€which€the€federal€TANF€allocation€isÏlow€relative€to€the€stateððs€needy€population..€€There€may€be€better€mechanisms€for€mitigating€theÏinequities€of€the€TANF€formula€than€the€current€supplemental€or€ð ðequityðð€funding.€€ÌÌH.€€Maybe€I€missed€it,€but€in€the€paragraph€at€the€bottom€of€page€2€and€the€top€of€page€3,€I€wouldÏadd€as€another€explanation,€at€least€from€the€New€York€experience,€of€the€large€surpluses€thatÏbuilt€up€in€the€early€years€of€TANF€the€fact€that€new€programs€were€being€designed€andÏimplemented€and€that€this€can€not€be€done€with€a€snap€of€the€fingers.ÌÌI.€€In€the€lst€line€of€the€second€paragraph€on€page€2,€I€would€change€the€phrase€ð ðcurrentÏrecessionary€periodðð€to€ð ðrecessionary€periods€like€the€present.ðð€€ÌÌòòPage€ThreeóóÐ $X" ÐÌJ.€€In€the€third€paragraph€on€page€3,€we€should€develop€and€integrate€the€related€arguments€thatÏ(1)€one€of€the€major€lessons€of€TANF€implementation€has€been€that€to€make€ð ðwelfare€to€workððÏwork,€there€are€major€investments€that€need€to€be€made€in€child€care,€transportation,€programsÏthat€assess€and€address€significant€barriers€to€employment,€and€(2)€the€states€have€been€able€to€useÏtheir€TANF€block€grants€and€related€MOE€resources€to€make€those€investments€becauseÏcaseloads€have€been€declining,€but€(3)€in€a€recession,€if€caseloads€go€up,€there€is€going€to€be€aÏsqueeze€on€the€states€that€can€result€in€them€engaging€in€business€cycle„exacerbating€actions€inÐ h+¸&* Ðorder€to€balance€their€budgets.ÌÌK.€€We€should€clarify€the€third€recommendation€by€dividing€it€into€two€separateÏrecommendations:€€ÌÌØØÓL€ 5h(#LÓÝ ‚ 3£ ÝÝ  Ýà0  àÝ‚ 3£ÖÝÔ25hÔÚ  Ú3Ú  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0` (#(#àÝ  ÝAny€TANF€funds€directly€used€to€finance€either€child€care€or€transportation€shouldÐ L œ Ðbe€considered€non-assistance."݃ 3£Ö ݌Р` (#` (# ÐŒÝ  Ýà0  à4à0` (#(#àStates€should€be€permitted€to€use€unobligated€TANF€funds€from€prior€years€toÐ $ t Ðprovide€assistance€or€non-assistance."Ð ` (#` (# ÐÌòòPage€FourÐ è 8  ÐóóÌL.€€The€second€sentence€of€the€last€complete€paragraph€should€be€rewritten€as€follows,€"Most€ofÏthese€states€received€TANF€supplemental€grants€(17€states)€outside€of€the€TANF€formulaÏsub-state€allocations."ÌÌM.€€In€the€section,€State€Flexibility€Recommendations,€we€should€broaden€the€fifthÏrecommendation€to€read:Ìò òÌà0  à5.€€ó óStates€Should€Have€More€Flexibility€to€Exempt€Working€Families€From€Federal€TimeÐ 4„ ÐLimits€ò òand€the€Federal€Time€Clock€Should€be€Stopped€during€Periods€of€HighÐ $t ÐUnemploymentó ó.€€Ðd(#(# ÐA€new€paragraph€should€be€added€which€to€support€stopping€the€time€clock€in€periods€of€highÏunemployment:ÌÌà0  àà ` àð ðUntil€this€year,€welfare€reform€has€been€implemented€in€the€most€favorableÏeconomic€context,€the€longest€economic€expansion€in€our€nationððs€history.€€It€should€beÏconsiderably€more€difficult€for€welfare€recipients€to€find€gainful€employment€in€the€currentÏeconomic€recession.€€The€new€legislation€should€include€a€trigger€mechanism,€modeledÏafter€the€extended€benefits€provisions€of€the€unemployment€insurance€system,€whichÏwould€stop€time€limit€clocks€from€running€during€periods€of€high€unemployment.ððÐ (#(# ÐÌNote:€Also€see€related€comments€and€questions€in€ð ðRðð€below.ÌÌÌN.€€On€page€four,€add€the€following€recommendation:ÌÌò òà0  à6.€€Enhanced€Flexibility€to€States€Should€€be€Accompanied€by€EnhancedÐ Ø&("% ÐAccountability.€€Ð (#(# ÐÌó óAnd€in€the€discussion€section€add€the€following€rationale€for€this€recommendation:Ð œ)ì$( ÐÌà0  àà ` àð ðMore€needs€to€be€done€to€provide€better€tracking€and€reporting€on€how€funds€areÐ t+Ä&* Ðbeing€used.€€The€financial€information€that€states€currently€provide€to€HHS€about€howÏTANF€and€MOE€funds€are€spent€does€not€include€sufficient€information€about€theÏprograms€that€are€being€supported€with€TANF€funds.€€For€example,€states€must€reportÏhow€much€they€spend€on€broad€categories€such€as€ð ðwork€activitiesðð€(other€than€educationÏor€work€subsidies).ðð€€Based€on€this€information,€policymakers,€the€public€and€HHS,€do€notÏknow€how€many€different€work€programs€were€funded,€who€they€served,€or€the€purposeÏof€the€programs.€€Sufficient€detail€is€needed€so€that€even€in€states€in€which€have€broadÏauthority€over€TANF€spending,€the€funding€decisions€are€transparent€to€state€and€federalÏpolicymakers€as€well€as€the€public.€€For€example,€in€New€York€where€the€TANF€programÏis€administered€at€the€county€level,€financial€reports€should€provide€county„by„countyÏaccounting€of€expenditures.ðð€€Program€information€that€should€be€collected€includes€theÏname€of€each€program€funded€with€federal€TANF€or€state€MOE€funds,€whether€theÏprogram€is€authorized€at€a€sub„state€level,€the€programððs€purpose,€the€main€activities€ofÏthe€program,€the€amount€of€TANF€funds€the€program€receives,€the€amount€of€MOE€fundsÏthe€program€receives,€the€total€funding€level€of€the€program,€total€program€expenditures€inÏfederal€fiscal€year€2002,€a€description€of€the€components€of€the€program€that€are€fundedÏwith€TANF€and€MOE€funds,€the€population€served€by€the€program,€the€number€ofÏindividuals€served,€if€applicable€the€number€of€individuals€served€with€TANF€and€MOEÏfunds,€and€eligibility€criteria€for€program€participation.€€Ð (#(# ÐÌò òÌó óO.€€Check€the€use€of€the€word€ð ðdeployðð€in€the€first€full€paragraph€on€page€4.Ð  \ ÐÌP.€€The€first€and€second€sentences€of€the€third€full€paragraph€on€page€4€do€not€seem€to€fitÏtogether.€€Also,€what€exactly€is€the€first€sentence€of€this€paragraph€trying€to€get€at?€€It€seemsÏrather€oblique,€almost€like€ð ðcodeðð€talk.ÌÌQ.€€The€fourth€paragraph€on€page€4€was€confusing€to€me.€€Are€the€first€and€second€sentences€ofÏthis€paragraph€talking€about€the€same€thing€or€two€different€things?ÌÌR.€€In€the€first€sentence€of€the€fourth€full€paragraph€on€this€page,€I€would€suggest€changingÏð ðdetermine€particular€employability€plans€for€familiesðð€to€ð ðdevelop€employability€and€employmentÏ&€training€plans€for€particular€families.ðð€€Should€the€standards€for€calculating€work€participationÏrates€(as€discussed€in€this€paragraph)€and€the€standards€for€determining€when€the€clock€should€beÏrunning€and€when€it€shouldnððt€be€running€(as€discussed€in€the€fourth€paragraph€on€page€5)€be€theÏsame?€€Or€is€there€a€reason€for€them€being€different.€€Pending€a€resolution€of€that€issue,€I€wouldÏoffer€here€my€questions€and€suggestions€for€both€paragraphs:ÌÌ1.€€For€both€purposes,€should€states€be€allowed€to€modify€the€30€hour€work€participationÏrequirement€for€mothers€who€canððt€work€that€number€of€hours€each€week€due€to€child€careÌconstraints?Ì2.€€For€both€purposes,€should€states€be€allowed€to€modify€the€30€hour€work€participationÏrequirement€for€mother€with€school€age€children€so€that€they€are€only€required€to€work€duringÐ h+¸&* Ðschool€hours€so€that€they€can€be€with€their€children€before€and€after€school.Ì3.€€Should€the€clock€not€run€for€people€who€are€working€the€number€or€hours€(or€participating€forÏthe€number€of€hours€in€whatever€work„related€activity€they€are€supposed€to€participate€in)Ïrequired€for€their€situation.€€So,€for€example,€if€someone€is€working€30„hours€a€week€butÏreceiving€a€TANF€grant€because€of€low€wages€and€no€assets€should€the€clock€not€run?Ì4.€€Should€the€5„year€time€limits€be€suspended€during€recessions?€€Or,€more€equitably,€shouldÏreceipt€of€assistance€during€recessions€not€count€against€the€5„year€time€limit?Ì5.€€Why€shouldnððt€the€clock€be€stopped€for€all€those€in€compliance€or€even€all€those€in€countableÏactivities€for€the€required€number€of€hours€rather€than€those€employed€25€or€more€hours.€If€forÏreasons€of€a€disability€or€the€availability€of€adequate€child€care€someone€can€only€work€20€hours€a€Ìweek,€why€should€the€clock€run?ÌÌòòPage€FiveÐ À  ÐÌóóS.€€The€second€full€paragraph€on€this€page€discusses€the€need€to€relax€TANF€cost€allocation€rules.€Ð ˜è  ÐWhile€the€current€allocation€requirements€may€excessive,€we€would€not€want€to€allow€states€to€beÏfree€to€use€TANF€for€as€many€changes€in€public€transportation€as€they€want,€without€regard€to€theÏnumbers€of€needy€families€who€will€directly€benefit.€€This€could€become€a€very€severe€drain€onÏlimited€TANF€funds.€€ÌÌT.€€ò òó óThe€first€full€paragraph€is€confusing€and€inaccurate.€€TANF€funds€spent€directly€on€child€careÐ  p Ðor€transportation€are€only€considered€assistance€if€the€family€is€not€working.€€Also,€transferredÏfunds€are€considered€assistance€if€used€to€provide€child€care€subsidies€to€non-working€families.ÏAgain,€two€separate€recommendations€should€be€made€as€clarified€for€page€3€above--states€shouldÏbe€able€to€use€prior€year€funds€for€non-assistance€and€child€care/transportation€aid€should€not€beÏconsidered€assistance€regardless€of€whether€the€family€is€working.Ìò òó óÌòòPage€SixÐ ”ä ÐÌóóU.€€€Insert€a€paragraph€discussion€of€the€third€poverty€reduction€recommendation€(ð ðProvideÐ l¼ ÐAdditional€Experimentation€and€Research€Funding€for€States€to€Develop€Labor€MarketÏAdvancement€Initiatives€that€Can€Increase€Family€Wagesðð€)€which€mentions€specifically€the€needÏfor€comprehensive€transitional€employment€and€training€programs€with€the€following€rationale:ÌÌà0  àà ` àð ðTransitional€jobs€programs€are€one€of€the€best€examples€of€state€innovations€thatÏshould€be€encouraged€and€supported€by€the€federal€government.€€Transitional€jobsÏprograms€provide€short„term,€wage„paying€subsidized€jobs€designed€to€assist€parents€withÏfew€skills€or€limited€work€experience.€€These€programs€provide€workers€with€extra€incomeÏthrough€earned€income€and€other€tax€credits,€as€well€as€ð ðreal€lifeðð€work€experience€andÏtraining€that€will€permanently€elevate€them€from€poverty.€€Additionally,€transitional€jobs€inÏthe€public€and€non-profit€sectors€can€offer€essential€services€to€the€community€like€dayÏcare€and€after-school€care.ðð€Ð (#(# ÐÐ h+¸&* ÐV.€€On€the€poverty€reduction€recommendations,€why€not€propose€making€poverty€reduction€aÏgoal€rather€than€trying€to€awkwardly€shoe„horn€it€into€one€of€the€existing€goals.€€In€the€proposalÏin€footnote€1€on€page€6,€for€example,€we€would€be€suggesting€that€reducing€poverty€is€(or€shouldÏbe)€a€means€to€the€end€of€ð ðend(ing)€dependence€on€government€benefitsðð€rather€than€an€end€inÏitself.€€The€proposed€phraseology€in€this€footnote€is€interesting€for€another€reason€as€well:€itÏsuggests€that€we€should€ð ðendðð€needy€parentsðð€dependence€on€government€benefits€but€that€weÏshould€only€ð ðtake€steps€toòò€reduceóó€family€and€child€poverty.ðð€€Maybe€we€should€be€taking€steps€(orÐ 8 ˆ Ðeven€taking€all€available€steps)€to€do€both€things€„€to€both€reduce€family€and€child€poverty€and€toÏreduce€their€dependence€on€government€benefits.ÌÌòòPage€SevenÐ è 8  ÐÌóóW.€€In€the€last€full€paragraph,€the€recommendation€on€child€care€quality€set„asides€is€somewhatÐ À  Ðconfusing.€€States€currently€have€the€flexibility€to€use€CCDF€fund€for€wage€supplements€to€reduceÏturnover.€€Is€the€recommendation€for€a€new€set„aside?€€A€new€mandate?€€Similarly,€is€theÏrecommendation€that€an€off„hour€care€set„aside€be€added?€€There€are€already€set„asides€for€qualityÏgenerally,€infant€and€toddler€care,€school„age€care,€and€resource€and€referrals.€€TheÏrecommendations€need€to€be€explained€more€clearly€to€distinguish€them€from€current€law.òòÐ \¬ ÐÌPage€Eightà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àÐ 4„ ÐÌóóX.€€In€the€first€full€paragraph,€the€suggestion€that€there€be€ð ðbetter€integration€between€TANF€andÐ  \ Ðfood€stamp€program€rules€relating€to€income,€resources€and€work€requirements€...€to€eliminateÏadministrative€difficulties€for€dually€eligible€recipients€and€to€allow€states€to€serve€and€treat€clientsÏconsistently,"€needs€to€be€clarified€to€ensure€that€it€is€not€interpreted€in€a€way€which€wouldÏimpose€federal€work€requirements€in€the€Food€Stamp€program€which€could€be€devastating€forÏmany€families.€€ÌòòÌPage€NineÌóóÌY.€€In€the€first€bullet€on€page€9,€make€the€"mentoring/counseling"€proposal€non-discriminatory€byÏmaking€available€to€all€low€income€adult€recipients,€whether€or€not€they€ð ðare€married€or€want€toÏget€married."ÌÌòòPage€TenóóÐ $X" ÐÌZ.€€In€the€second€bullet€on€Page€10€(and€elsewhere€as€appropriate)€use€gender€neutral€language.€ÏFor€example,€this€bullet€could€be€revised€as€follows:€€"Providing€new€funding€for€expandingÏnon-custodial€parent€("fatherhood")€initiatives,€particularly€those€that€focus€on€creatingÏemployment€opportunities€for€non-custodial€€parents€as€well€as€..."€ÌÌOTHER€SUGGESTIONSÌÔ_ÔÐ h+¸&* Ð1.€€Extend€(or€give€states€the€right€to€extend???)€child€care€unavailability€sanction€protection€toÏthose€with€a€school€age€child€if€child€care€is€not€available€when€the€child€is€not€in€school.€€ThisÏwould€be€an€alternative€to€our€proposal€above€that€someone€with€school€age€children€only€beÏrequired€to€work€while€her€children€are€in€school.ÌÌ2.€€Broaden€state€flexibility€to€exempt€those€with€pre-school€age€children€from€work€programsÏsuch€as€by€allowing€states€to€exclude€them€from€the€participation€rate€denominator€when€licensedÏquality€child€care€not€available.ÌÌ3.€€In€states€that€allow€sub„state€devolution€(like€New€York),€the€federal€law€should€require€thatÏthere€be€some€rational€basis€for€variations€among€sub„state€units€in€grant€levels,€co„payments€andÏsimilar€benefit€factors.€€Also,€in€such€states€there€should€be€some€sub„state€breakdown€of€theÏstateððs€reporting€on€its€use€of€TANF€block€grant€funds€and€its€MOE€expenditures.ÌÌ4.€€In€states€that€use€public€sector,€non„wage„based€Work€Experience€Programs,€the€federal€lawÏneeds€to€provide€public€sector€workers€with€protection€against€displacement.€€According€to€theÏTANF€Reauthorization€comments€filed€with€Ô_ÔHHSÔ_Ô€by€Ô_ÔbyÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔAFSCMEÔ_Ô€District€Council€37,€ð ðNewÏYorkððs€Work€Experience€Program€(Ô_ÔWEPÔ_Ô),€the€nationððs€largest€workfare€€program,€has€resulted€inÏdisplacement€of€city€workers€by€public€assistance€recipients,€in€€violation€of€State€social€serviceÏlaw.€In€essence,€federal€TANF€funds€are€used€to€subsidize€€city€services€to€the€detriment€of€bothÏTANF€recipients,€who€do€not€receive€the€services€and€training€they€need,€and€public€workers,Ïwho€lose€their€jobs.€TANF€protections€against€the€€displacement€of€public€service€workers€mustÏbe€strengthened.€The€number€of€permanent,€€full-time€city€employees€in€low-wage,€entry-levelÏpositions€has€diminished€significantly€in€€the€last€ten€years.€Conversely,€the€number€of€participantsÏin€Ô_ÔWEPÔ_Ô€has€increased.€Since€1997,€€DC€37€has€filed€five€separate€lawsuits€against€the€city€for€theÏdisplacement€of€civil€servants€€in€various€agencies,€most€particularly€in€the€Department€of€ParksÏand€Recreation.€€Displacement€also€creates€a€downward€pressure€on€the€entire€labor€market.ððÌÌ5.€€As€part€of€TANF€Reauthorization,€many€organizations€across€the€country€are€calling€for€aÏdedicated€funding€stream€for€transitional€employment€programs.€€This€will€obviously€garner€moreÏsupport€from€state€governments€if€it€is€in€addition€to€the€basic€TANF€block€grants€rather€thanÏbeing€carved€out€from€within€those€block€grants.€€One€way€or€another,€TANF€ReauthorizationÏshould€move€the€states€in€the€direction€of€developing€comprehensive€transitional€employment€andÏtraining€programs.€ÌÌ6.€€The€federal€law€should€establish€greater€accountability€in€how€TANF€administrative€funds€canÏbe€contracted€out€to€private€firms.€€This€is€particularly€problematical€when€local€officials€are€intentÏon€giving€contracts€to€favored€firms€even€if€it€means€violating€local€procurement€procedures€andÏwhen€there€is€no€supervision€of€the€performance€of€the€contractors€involved.ÌÌ7.€€Congress€should€strengthen€protections€against€potential€abuses€of€the€charitable€choiceÏprovisions€of€the€TANF€law€by€adding€strong€language€against€discrimination€in€employment€asÏwell€as€language€barring€faith-based€providers€from€proselytizing€while€they€deliver€services.€Ô_ÔññÐ h+¸&* ÐññÔ_ÔÔ_ÔññÐ h+¸&* ÐññÔ_ÔÔ_ÔññÐ h+¸&* ÐññÔ_Ô