N.Y. Republican Leader Blasts Soros’s Pledge of Cash for Kids
August 12, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
The top Republican in the New York State Senate yesterday criticized the billionaire philanthropist George Soros’s pledge of $35-million in back-to-school money for more than 800,000 needy children as a welfare giveaway that “is ripe for fraud and abuse,” reports the Associated Press.
The Soros gift will trigger the release of $140-million in stimulus funds under a federal matching program, providing a $200 bonus for each recipient.
Gov. David Paterson hailed the gift as a critical boost for needy families heading into the school year. But Dean Skelos, the state senator, said the federal money would be better spent on creating jobs or cutting taxes.
