We have all heard the same old stories about the welfare system and those who are on it. We all know that everyone on welfare are bums and drug addicts. We all “know” someone who is beating the system. We have all heard that the welfare system is the root of all of Maine’s financial woes and that by eliminating these programs we would no longer have a tax problem.

Are these statements based on facts, fiction, myth, or just poor misconceptions of a program that many of us do not really understand?

Consider the following: all people on welfare do not want to work, alcohol and cigarettes can be bought with food stamps, welfare recipients are career state aid cases, the entire Somali community is on welfare, having more children means more welfare for the mothers. These statements are all fiction and myth since there is no real proof of any of them being factual.

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of fiction or myth sources for us to base our opinions on. We hear them from our elected officials representing city, state and federal seats, as well as our co-workers and friends who make these accusations rather flippantly as the causes of the budget problems in Augusta.

Regrettably, however, most of these myths seem to come from people who do not know or understand the guidelines used by the Department of Health and Human Services for its many programs. Furthermore, the lack of understanding of the actual circumstances of the many of people on welfare only serves to reinforce the many prejudices and preconceived perceptions of welfare.

These issues, along with the lack of understanding of how welfare actually affects our taxes and the economy makes for a very ugly picture in people’s minds of what welfare is and those who receive it.

I believe that now is the time to have a comprehensive study done on the welfare system in Maine to evaluate the following questions: how many programs are available to Mainers that are considered to be welfare, are these programs intertwined (meaning if you qualify for one, do you automatically qualify for others), how many Mainers are actually on these individual programs, what are the actual benefits of each program to the recipients, what criteria must be met for each program to receive benefits, what are the guidelines on how benefits are to be used, what are the time limits for these programs, what are the citizenship requirements to be enrolled in any of the programs, what are the penalties for committing fraud with individual programs, what kind of enforcement programs are in place to minimize misuse and fraud.

I believe that once all of this information is gathered and evaluated, we will have a very serious and in-depth examination of where and how program benefits are being used. It would also provide a close examination of the use of benefits to see where and how some savings could be found. Let’s face it, the ability to purchase alcohol, cigarettes, or other “luxury” items with benefits must be addressed.

More importantly, however, is that this information be passed on to all elected officials in Maine as well as to the general public in a format that easily read and understood. I envision a flow chart or table format for this purpose.

Knowledge is power and this would serve lawmakers and the public in a positive manner. The lawmakers would finally have a clearer picture of what the welfare spending really is and who is eligible for it. And the taxpayer, well, they would finally be able to offer their demands or expectations of lawmakers based on fact and reality rather than myths and distortions of reality.

While I do understand that the budget is the most important issue right now along with other “hot issues,” and that some would say that this is not a good time for such a task to tackled, then I simply beg the question: If not now, then when?

Considering that the DHHS budget is such a large part of our state budget, I say now is the time.

Joseph Mailey is vice president of the Western Maine Labor Council.