I agree with Jocelyn Clukey (letter, Sept. 7), “System isn’t fair.” Years ago, when my children were younger, I worked and my husband would get layed off every winter. We struggled, and sometimes I would be able to get help, but usually (and lately), no help.

What I don’t understand is that places I go to get help want to know my gross income, not net income. If we brought home our gross income each week, we would not be asking for help.

A couple of years ago, I went to apply for food stamps and the person who did my application did it on computer. He told me I would be receiving $130 per month. I received them for six months and then my review came up.

I sent in my paperwork only to hear that I should not have received any food stamps, that the department had made a mistake and put one of my family members as being disabled. Now they tell me I owe almost $700 back to them.

I went to a hearing and lost because even though the system was at fault, I have to pay. The worker who helped me with my application should have had help. Maybe the ones who make mistakes should be the ones paying back, not us.

It really isn’t fair.

Debbie Niskanen, Mechanic Falls