1959 Resolutions - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

WHEREAS, approximately one-sixth of the total annual appropriations of the City of Portsmouth in recent years has been for welfare purposes, notwithstanding the fact that the economic life of the community continues to be relatively sound and prosperous; and WHEREAS, existing federal and state laws and regulations hamper local authorities in their efforts to discover and correct certain practices of welfare recipients who now secure welfare payments to which they are not in good conscience entitled and who spend welfare payments for things not consistent with the purposes for which welfare payments are made; and WHEREAS, the elected officials of the City of Portsmouth are required to appropriate funds for welfare programs but are powerless to establish or investigate the qualifications of recipients, or to confine payments to an amount necessary for maintenance of life and health, or to require that payments be applied primarily to the purchase of the necessities of life, all of which matters could be administered more efficiently on the local leval of government. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, that existing federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to public welfare programs require immediate study and revision in order to return control and supervision thereof to the localities, thereby facili- tating the discovery and correction of abusive practices now employed by certain welfare recipients. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of these resolutions be forwarded by the City Clerk to all members of the Congress of the United States and the General Assembly of Virginia representing the people of this City, and that copies also be forwarded to the governing bodies of the Cities of Norfolk, South Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Newport News and Hampton, and the Counties of Norfolk, Princess Anne and Nansemond.