Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 December 2002 — Page 2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13,2002

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Judge rules state can’t collect money from people who got too many food stamps By AwcMiti Fw— ments, including reducing food Union filed a class-action law-' • stamp allotments, intercepting suit in April 2001 on behalf of The state must return money federal tax returns and taking two food stamp recipients, it collected as reimbvysement federal pay or unemployment claiming the state was violating from people to whom it gave too benefits from food stamp re- federal lawbyrecovering money many food stamps, a federal cipients. for overpayments that were the judge ruled. Hie state had argued the col- state’s mistakes. Tt’sagreat thing because food lections are permissible under Regina Johnson of Indiastamps are what these people the 1996 federal food stamp law, napolis said the state collected refy on in order to eat,” said which allowed agencies to cor- $609 over die past few years by Jackie Bowie Suess, an attorney rect overpayments by reducing cutting her monthly food stamp for the Indiana Civil Liberties monthly food stamp allowances, allotment after saying she had Union, which filed the class ac- Matt Raibley, manager of the been overpaid, tion lawsuit that led to the ml- family support services section “I had to go to pantries in the ing. at the state Family and Social neighborhood trying to get "Ten dollars means a lot to Services Administration, could food,” said Johnson, a 35-year-them, whereas it doesn't mean a not say how much money the old mother of three. ”1 asked lot to the state. It wasn't their state has recovered or how many diem, 'Why are /all taking my fault they were overpaid,” Suess clients might be affected. money?’ * said. In September, 430,555 The state was to mail letters U.S. District Chief Judge people in 179,331 femilies re- by Jan. 7 informing people they Lany McKinney ordered the cehred an average of $198.76 in can join the lawsuit. It also was state to cease several measures food stamps. to post notices at all county Ofit had taken to recover overpay- Hie Indiana Civil Liberties fices of Family and Children.

KERNAN

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The I2th Month Tour J [ J

One of the many ways to experience the culture of Indf^iapoli^Detailf4t Culturallndy.

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’ 1. One horsepower engine * 2. Mouse King dethroned 3. A decorated war veteran

4. Ghosts, geese and “God bless us, everyone" 5. Home of the first White House Christmas tree

6. Old carols, new conductor

7. The express has been re-routed

8. A Massachusetts winter

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14. Piftatas and cocoa 15. Static waving Badi 16. The friendly beasts 17. What good is sitting alone in your room} (hritmtmn, mpfCl.)

arrive curious

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sion for us at this time in our who are rarely visible in Indial' ves ' napolis and never seen in this Speaking to reporters and African-American community.

► continutd from Pa«« 1 Yet, Democrat cn be ^ ^ mitted that ”I didn’t come here Verted governor vnthout wmDemocraticPartymtoturmoil (ini996)withtheideatorunfor ning Indianapohs/Manon with no prospective candidates governor.” While not ruling out County and they cant win the with Kernan’s loyalty among a nm for office in the future, city/county without an enerparty workers and activists and Kernan said he would spend his gized, excited African-American none with his popularity among remaining two years as lieuten- community, rank-and-file Democratic vot- ^ governor “working on eco- The lieutenant governor tried ^ _ ... , nomic development, counter to put a good face on the diiJSid^iSSS^S^ ^on^icuhure and vet- lemma Democrats face. JThe could serve two consecutive Keraan s stunning decision e * ectlonistwo y earsawa y» sa *^ terms had any sitting lieuten- means that potentfel Demo- ^ ^ ant governor not run for gover- candidates for governor good sha P e - Weve g ot K 00 ® nor. That was the precedent wiU be completely unfamiliar to people in the Democratic Party.” So the political world asmmed the state > s i ar g est African- State Party Chair Peter that Kernan, the former South American community. Because Manous echoed Keman’s optiBend mayor, businessman, 0 f Hoosiers’ traditional rtluc- mistic assessment “We have a Navy aviator, Vietnam POW to support gubernatorial deep bench,” Manous told Hie and a popular, successfalheu- candidates from Indianapolis/ Recorder when asked to assess tenant governor, would run in ” jTu il. t ~ 2004* Manon County and tnc lack of E^cmocratic ^viDcmatonal hope - But Indiana’s second two- s** 0 ** 8 *^ Democratic politi- fills. “We have a deep bench in term lieutenant governor had cians Iron* Central Indiana, Congress, the (state) House and other ideas. "Maggie and I have Blacks will be choosing poten- Senate and in industiy.” thought long and hard, and be- tial Democratic governor can- The key, according to lieve that this is the right deci- didates from among persons Manous, is finding a candidate

who “can raise money (between $10 million and $15 million), who can know the people and

articulate a message.”

Manous admitted that it would be “important that whoever is interested in running for governor has to be visible in

Marion County.”

Privately, top party officials are in a state of shock and could only name a handful of individuals who could run for governor. They include Congressmen Tim Roemer from South Bend and Congressman Baron Hill from Southern Indiana. Former State and National Democratic Party Chair Joe Andrews was suggested, as was former House Speaker John Gregg and state Sen. Vi

Simpson.

Mayor Bart Peterson has also been mentioned, though that’s wishful thinking since the mayor iriust fttst be re-elected next year and voters would be loath to vote for Peterson knowing he’s running for governor. A sign of the party’s desperation and despair was several party bigwigs seriously mentioned that Sen. Evan Bayh could run. Contrast the gloom and shock among Democrats with Indiana Republican Party Chairman Jim Kittle who was positively gleeful at Kernan’s decision. “The first string has benched himself,” said Kittle who praised Kernan as a “quality guy, a man of integrity.” While wishing that Kernan had run; “It would have been good to run against the best,” Kittle felt confident that any of the Republicans contemplating running for governor could beat anyone the Democrats offered. Previewing the Republicans’ strategy in the coming campaign, Kittle said that any Democrat who runs will be forced to defend “the train wreck that has been this (O’Bannon/ Kernan) administration.” Manous dismissed Kittle’s assessment. “Jim will have problems in his own party with his own right wing.” Manous addressed concern that African Americans won’t be enthused in 2004 because of an unfamiliar candidate for governor and the Black community’s traditional coolness towards Sen. Bayh, “Democrats can’t take votes for granted. The African-American vote has been a major vote for our party. We’ve got a big job ahead of us."

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