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Has YFZ Been Bleeding the Welfare System?

2008-05-31 16:54:21

By Donald Richter

 

 
On May 30, 2008, just following the Supreme Court decision favoring the FLDS, former FLDS member Carolyn Jessop was quoted by CBS as warning, “They are going to move in to Texas. All the taxpayers better open their wallets and get ready to pay for it, because these people do welfare.”
            This comment represents a common misperception of the YFZ community.
            Taxpayers certainly have a bill to pay as a result of the YFZ raid, but the expenses are solely due to the cost of the raid itself and not because the YFZ community has been bleeding the welfare system.
            Prior to the raid the YFZ community was self sustaining. According to the Deseret News of May 18, 2008, “the Texas Health and Human Services Commission has reported that none of the families who are members of the west Texas FLDS sect targeted by child protective services were on welfare.” In addition, the children were attending a private school, which received no public funds.
 The cost to taxpayers since the raid, however, has been staggering. The Austin American-Statesman of May 21, 2008 estimates the entire population of Schleicher County as about 3,000, with an annual budget of $3.9 million. Court costs for the raid are expected to top $2.25 million even before attorney fees are added. Most of these expenses the county is obligated to pay.
            Expenses for the state by May 21 were $5.3 million, including
                        $1.7 million overtime, mostly for CPS workers          
                        $1 million for buses to transport children and mothers to shelters
                        $132,400 for janitors to clean shelters
                        $120,000 for doctors, nurses, and psychiatrists
                        $102,100 for ice, food, and other supplies
            In addition the state is spending $1.74 million a month for foster care as long as the children remain in custody.
            Far from being a burden to taxpayers, the YFZ community prior to the raid was one of the largest taxpaying entities in Schleicher County. According to the Schleicher County Appraisal District, the assessed valuation of the community, including land and improvements, is $21 million. From 2004 to 2007, the FLDS have paid $1 million in property taxes, and the figure has been climbing every year.
            The YFZ community has been supplying most of its food needs through its own dairy herd, chickens, and gardens. Since the raid, with practically no one left in the community, thousands of gallons of milk, hundreds of dozens of eggs, and much of the fresh garden produce have been going to waste. 
            The financial cost of the raid is insignificant, however, compared to the human cost of grief-stricken parents and traumatized children. It is certainly time to return the children to their parents and the families to their homes.  


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