Students should not abuse Bridge Cards
State representatives are seeking to crack down on Bridge Card abuse.
And with good reason.
Some students have Bridge Cards, claiming they need them in order to survive fiscally in college. But many of these students are abusing the system and are using food stamps to buy cigarettes, alcohol and food beyond the budget of a working college student.
These students need to stop wasting taxpayer money and not abuse Bridge Cards.
Bridge Cards are issued by the Department of Human Resources. Applicants are approved if the their income is low enough, making most students eligible to receive government assistance as long as they are not dependents of their parents. Bridge Card holders also can get a certain amount of cash back with their cards.
The main idea behind the card is to temporarily help out families during financial hardships, not to support them forever.
But state representatives, including Joe Haveman, R-Holland, want to severely limit who can obtain a card.
They say there are people abusing Bridge Cards to buy certain foods other working adults cannot afford. The Department of Human Services claims Michigan lost $5.87 million in 2008 from users taking advantage of the system. That $5.87 million could have funded scholarships and grants so students would not have to use food stamps.
Michigan has the worst economy and the highest unemployment rate in the country. With so much job loss around the state, many families are depending on food stamps to feed their children. With such limited funding for government assistance, people in need of food stamps are unable to feed their families because some people, including college students, are abusing the system.
Of course, some may actually need the assistance. Full-time students who are working and still can’t afford to buy groceries should be allowed to have a Bridge Card.
However, a student Bridge Card account should have less money. The cash back option should be eliminated.
There should be tighter restrictions on what students are eligible to receive with their card.
Those on the fence should try budgeting their money better before seeking government assistance. They should eliminate the wants (cigarettes and alcohol, for example) and focus on needs (food, drinks). Otherwise, all they are doing is taking money from the government and, in the end, putting Michigan in a tougher spot fiscally.
Hopefully, legislation is passed to prevent Bridge Card abuse. The card is supposed to be a last resort. Many people, including students, think they need one when, in truth, it is their responsibility to budget their money better.
