WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.760 --> 00:00:02.359 It's Night Side with Dan Ray. 2 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:07.799 I'm WBS Costin's video. 3 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:11.800 Massachusetts is a state that has a population just under 4 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:15.759 seven billion, let's call it six point seven million or 5 00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:19.920 six point eight million. And we have learned today because 6 00:00:19.960 --> 00:00:22.879 of her freedom of information request that was filed by 7 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:29.839 Taunton City Council candidate City councilor Kelly Duner Dougner. She's 8 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:34.560 also running for a state Senate that we have issued 9 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:41.359 in Massachusetts active two point six million EBT cards. Kelly Douner. 10 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:42.719 Welcome to Night Side. 11 00:00:42.759 --> 00:00:46.640 How are you, hi, Dan, Thank you so much for 12 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:48.719 having me. I'm doing great. How are you? 13 00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:53.119 Yeah, Well, thank you for what you've done here. What 14 00:00:53.399 --> 00:00:58.159 caused you to issue this Freedom of Information Act request? 15 00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:04.959 And you submitted this this resist this request to the 16 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:08.400 Department of Transitional Assistance in mid Septembers. 17 00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:13.959 I understand it right, yes, back on September seventeenth, I 18 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:19.239 submitted it. I have been submitting public records requests since 19 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:21.920 I believe, oh gosh, I want to say in March, 20 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:25.640 we've probably submitted close to thirty if not more. Now, 21 00:01:26.599 --> 00:01:33.159 this all initially started back when the young female was 22 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:38.319 sexually assaulted at the Rockland hotel. I had concerns with 23 00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:41.680 the hotel and taught and I just wanted more information 24 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:46.680 on what background checks were being done and what they 25 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:49.400 were finding, how they were coming up with the findings, 26 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:53.359 just for safety reasons, being a young female myself. So 27 00:01:53.400 --> 00:01:56.319 it all kind of started back then. And then, as 28 00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:59.239 I'm sure you know, with the state budget operating in 29 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:03.640 a deficit, the astronomical amount of money that we're spending, 30 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:06.319 you know, we just decided to kind of, you know, 31 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:09.759 just dig a little bit deeper. And back on September 32 00:02:09.800 --> 00:02:13.680 seventeenth is when we had sent that request, and we 33 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:16.840 were just looking for truthfully, we were just trying to 34 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:21.080 see if what kind of out of state spending was happening, 35 00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:24.520 or even out of country spending, like where was it in, 36 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:27.879 you know, towards the destinations in Hawaii. So we were 37 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:30.439 just kind of trying to get that sort of information. 38 00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:34.800 We sent a number of requests just looking for the transactions, 39 00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:37.840 where they were taking place, what the dollar amounts were 40 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:42.120 that were taking place, and loan Behold, we got back 41 00:02:42.199 --> 00:02:48.319 the information regarding the number of EBT cards issued. So 42 00:02:48.520 --> 00:02:50.879 I could not believe it when I was reading the 43 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:54.599 email firsthand that we went from you know, one point 44 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:58.280 nine million to two point six million, which is a 45 00:02:58.599 --> 00:03:02.800 six hundred and seventy two thousand increase, which is just 46 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:04.439 an astronomical number. 47 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:08.560 What is amazing to me, and I want to focus 48 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:11.319 on that number and put it in some context. So 49 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:16.120 we saw some stories about a week ago, which I 50 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:20.680 assume were stories that perhaps you shared with other journalists, 51 00:03:20.919 --> 00:03:26.400 which talked about people who were using Massachusetts' EBT cards 52 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:31.240 in some far away places like Hawaii and Florida, places 53 00:03:31.240 --> 00:03:35.599 that I assumed that was information that you also had 54 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:40.520 mined from the Department of Transitional Assistance. 55 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:44.960 So called right, We've been trying to acquire that, yes, 56 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:47.919 but it seems like, you know, every time we submit 57 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:51.879 a new public records request, there's always some excuse as 58 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:54.919 to why they don't have the information, and there's just 59 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:57.840 a total lack of transparency. When I tell you, we 60 00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:02.199 just get pushed around from department department. Sometimes they'll make 61 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:05.719 the excuse that, oh, we didn't see this email until now, 62 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:08.439 and we're, you know, two three weeks into this public 63 00:04:08.520 --> 00:04:11.080 records for quaests. So then they you know, they deem 64 00:04:11.159 --> 00:04:13.479 that they're going to respond from that date that they 65 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:16.759 magically found the email, not the date it was, it 66 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:18.720 was sent to them and they received it. 67 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:22.000 It's interesting. There's a lot a lot of you know, 68 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:25.920 the political leaders on Beacon Hill talk about transparency, and 69 00:04:25.959 --> 00:04:30.040 it's anything but transparency. I mean, this is your tax dollars, 70 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:33.120 my tax dollars that are being used. I don't mind 71 00:04:33.160 --> 00:04:35.959 if they're being used to help people who are truly 72 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:39.360 in need. But here's here's my issue. And I'm hoping 73 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:43.199 that numbers in the radio Kelly are always difficult, but 74 00:04:44.839 --> 00:04:48.959 I think there's about six point seven million people in Massachusetts. 75 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:52.160 Is that a fairly close estimate as far as you 76 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:54.079 understand that. I'm sure you've looked at that number. 77 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:56.639 That's the number that I got as well. 78 00:04:56.720 --> 00:05:01.839 Yeah, okay, so six point seven and there are now 79 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:09.160 as of September first, two point six million people with 80 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:15.800 active as I read this chart active EBD cards. That's 81 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:19.279 a tremendous increase from a little more than a year ago, 82 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:24.319 fourteen months ago July first, twenty twenty three, it's an 83 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:28.720 increase of six hundred and seventy two thousand, So it's 84 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:34.600 a it's a it's a thirty at least thirty two percent, 85 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:38.120 thirty three percent increase in less than a year. But 86 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:40.639 here's my question, and for those who are having trouble 87 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:44.279 following the numbers, how can a state with six point 88 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:50.040 seven million people have two point six million people with 89 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:51.360 EBT cards? 90 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:53.839 Right? 91 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:56.519 And just to put those numbers into perspective, you know, 92 00:05:56.560 --> 00:05:59.199 we don't know the dollar amounts that are on these 93 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:02.680 EBT cars. But for example, say there was five hundred 94 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:05.439 on each of the new cards that was issued. So 95 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:08.079 I'm just talking about that six hundred and seventy two 96 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:12.079 thousand dollars increase. Say there was five hundred on every card, 97 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:16.240 that's upwards of three hundred million dollars of taxpayer money 98 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:21.920 that you know, and believe me, I wish we could help. 99 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:24.759 You know, everybody I've said that, but I am. You know, 100 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:28.319 something that bothers me in particular is that I was 101 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:31.000 speaking with a woman while it was out door knocking 102 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:35.800 and Wareham a few weeks back, and she was homeless 103 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:37.680 at the time. She was living in the house of 104 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:40.839 the door that I had knocked on with her two children. 105 00:06:41.399 --> 00:06:43.720 It was a coworker who was letting her stay there 106 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:46.920 with the kids. She worked a full time job and 107 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:50.240 she could not qualify for any sort of assistant. So 108 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:54.040 this is a young mother, a single mother who's working 109 00:06:54.079 --> 00:06:57.480 a full time job to support her children and doing 110 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.160 everything in her power to get by and do the 111 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:04.120 right thing, and she did not qualify for assistance. So, 112 00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:06.360 you know, that kind of made me think, there's you know, 113 00:07:06.519 --> 00:07:09.000 what's wrong with this, there's something wrong with the system 114 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:11.879 if it's somebody and this is somebody standing right in 115 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:13.920 front of me telling me this. This isn't you know 116 00:07:13.959 --> 00:07:17.040 a story I heard from somebody like this was firsthand. 117 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:21.079 She was relaying that story to me, and right then 118 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:24.720 and there, you know, you know, I've been leading the charge, 119 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:26.800 i'd say, in the sense that I want to amend 120 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:28.680 the right to shelter law. That has been a top 121 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:31.120 priority for me. So this kind of all goes hand 122 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:33.519 in hand because I have a woman in front of 123 00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:36.639 me who can't get any sort of assistance, Yet we're 124 00:07:36.680 --> 00:07:40.759 providing this assistance to. At this point, I'm not even 125 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:42.839 sure who we're giving it to. Because if we're not 126 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:45.560 helping a woman like that who is in dire need 127 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:50.079 of assistance, then who are we giving these EBT cards to? 128 00:07:50.759 --> 00:07:51.399 Is my question? 129 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:54.480 Yeah, that that is my problem too. If they're going 130 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:58.759 to use my sack my tax money, Okay, I want 131 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:02.600 to make sure it's usedly and efficiently and help people 132 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:06.000 who need it. I'm not opposed to that, but I 133 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:09.279 am opposed to them taking tax money from all of 134 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:12.439 us and spending it in a profligate way in which 135 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:15.519 they have no idea. Who are the folks with these 136 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:21.759 EBT cards? This number, which again boggles my mind, that 137 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:24.879 just the raw number. If we're a state of six 138 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:30.120 point seven million people and two point six two point 139 00:08:30.199 --> 00:08:38.159 six active EBT cards are here in Massachusetts, that means that, 140 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:44.080 in theory, the six point seven million are providing EBT 141 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:47.000 cards for two point six Now, maybe there's some duplicates, 142 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:50.600 maybe there's some fraud, whatever. I'm not so much interested 143 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:53.879 in that, because the fraud would be here or there 144 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:58.200 or there. But there must be something in the system 145 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:01.480 which has gone amok uh, And then there must be 146 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:05.080 they must be handing these e b T cards out 147 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:09.200 like you know people hand out I don't know when 148 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:12.279 they used to hand out packs small packages of cigarettes 149 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:14.320 in downtown Boston. You want an eb T card, you 150 00:09:14.360 --> 00:09:18.840 want any it It's it's frightening, it's frightening. To think 151 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:20.960 that this amount of money which could be used to 152 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:26.720 help people now is being drained off and in a 153 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:31.120 way in which the state apparently has lost control of this. 154 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:33.840 This program definitely tell you what I want to do 155 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:36.279 is I want to invite my callers to join the conversation. 156 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:38.600 What you would you have done here is hard work. 157 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:43.240 People don't realize how difficult it is to draw up 158 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:47.480 a Freedom of Information Act request which is in the 159 00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:51.679 proper form and therefore it will be accepted by the 160 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:55.799 powers that be, and then to keep waiting and waiting 161 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:58.919 and waiting for some information. I must say this that 162 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:01.600 the letter that you were with this information comes from 163 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:05.320 Lauren Pecone. She is the general counsel according to the 164 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:09.360 signature of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 165 00:10:09.399 --> 00:10:13.279 Department of Transitional Assistance. So this is not a number 166 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:15.759 that you're making up. This is a number that is 167 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:20.200 being provided to you by the Healey administration. And I'm 168 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:23.399 assuming that someone had to have looked at this number 169 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:27.559 and sent it out and realized that once it came 170 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:30.679 to you, as someone who's running for state Senate, that 171 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:34.159 you might want a campaign on that issue. So I 172 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:37.399 assume this figure is a totally accurate figure. I know 173 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:40.639 that they have sent some clarifying information which we can 174 00:10:40.679 --> 00:10:43.320 go through, but I want to hear from people here 175 00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:47.240 at Massachusetts. You're running for state Senate down in the 176 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:52.000 South Coast area, open, as we would say, an open 177 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:56.799 state Senate seed, a longtime Democratic and company has decided 178 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:01.840 to retire, and you are Yeah. I think you told 179 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:04.720 me today. You're a thirty two year old woman, a 180 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:09.200 Republican who was elected to the city council for the 181 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:14.720 second time. So you are a young person who obviously 182 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:20.360 has been able to identify an issue of great substance here, 183 00:11:20.360 --> 00:11:26.000 because a state of six point seven million people cannot 184 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:30.200 support two point six million people on an EBT cards 185 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:33.840 on an ebt card, that just makes no sense at all. 186 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:36.480 We will open up the phone lines for Kelly Doner 187 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:40.120 Douner six one seven, two five four ten thirty six 188 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:43.559 one seven, nine three ten thirty. Feel free to join 189 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:46.320 the conversation if I have any questions, Kelly has the answers. 190 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.879 I'm I find this story just shocking. I realized there's 191 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:52.600 been an influx of people who have come into the 192 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:55.360 state under the right to shelter law. I get that, 193 00:11:56.360 --> 00:11:59.679 so there's been an increase there, but how big and 194 00:11:59.799 --> 00:12:03.519 inc I mean, we've been told that it's been you know, 195 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:09.440 a few thousand people, but maybe we've been misled. I'm 196 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:12.519 stunned by these numbers. Just put it in your head. 197 00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:16.080 A state of six point nine million people now has 198 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:20.840 two point six million people on EBT cards. Maybe everybody 199 00:12:20.840 --> 00:12:22.840 should be on an EBT card, and should we could 200 00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:25.440 change the state the name of the state from Massachusetts 201 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:29.240 to EBT card Haven Back on Nights Out with my guest, 202 00:12:30.120 --> 00:12:33.080 Taunton City Councilor Kelly Doner right after this. 203 00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:38.879 Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World. 204 00:12:38.679 --> 00:12:41.799 Night Side Studios on w b Z the news Radio. 205 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:46.480 My guest is Kelly Doner. She is a taunted city 206 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:50.519 councilor in her second term. She is a thirty two 207 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:57.320 year old woman who takes her approach to politics quite seriously, 208 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:00.759 and she has filed all sorts of Freedom of Information 209 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:05.440 Act requests, which is really a service to all of us, Kelly, 210 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:07.480 for you to do this, and let's go to phone 211 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:09.320 calls and see what people have to say. We're going 212 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:13.320 to start off with Bill in Chelmstred Bill in Chelmstreet. 213 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:17.879 You first, this hour with Kelly Doner, a city councilor 214 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:18.399 from Taunted. 215 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:21.399 Go right ahead, good evening, Dan and Kelly. 216 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:24.159 How are you We're doing great? Bill? Go ahead. 217 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.679 This kind of this kind of hits me. I live 218 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:32.200 in a town that borders, you know, a per capita 219 00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:37.120 incomes are different from towns. But the supermarkets, you got 220 00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:40.279 to my eyes, have been open for now months and 221 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:44.279 months and months, and I sat last week in a 222 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:48.759 line with a bill in front of me, a customer 223 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:50.480 in front of me that had three hundred and seventy 224 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:53.919 six dollars and all kinds of and I get it, 225 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:57.080 you know, this is a this is a necessary thing 226 00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:59.799 for us. But bill was three seventy six. It came 227 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:04.240 down to sixty dollars and twenty something cent. Okay, but 228 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:06.120 some of the stuff that was in there. 229 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:10.080 How did that build come down from three seventy six 230 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:11.879 to sixty I've heard about class I don't know. 231 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:16.159 I don't know. There was no coupons, know nothing on it. 232 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:18.840 So I'm not sure how the system works or what 233 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:23.720 the percents are. But what caught me off guard is 234 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:27.279 that the window of the supermarkets right there, I see 235 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:30.639 her cashier or a bagger helped her out to the 236 00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:34.519 car and she gets in a late model Mercedes Benz. Now, 237 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:38.600 I don't know. I don't know how these cards are issued, 238 00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:42.120 and I was I'm hoping they're issued to people that 239 00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:46.000 really need it. But as I sit in lines now 240 00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:49.600 I see it more often than not EVT cards that 241 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:52.200 come out in front of me, and you can see 242 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.559 it right on the screen because the screen faces not 243 00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:56.879 only the customer, but it's a big screen and I'm 244 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:59.840 not looking for it all the time. But it's just 245 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:03.440 parent because sometimes the lights flash and somebody has to 246 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:05.879 come over and take something out or whatever it is. 247 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:09.440 But I think Kelly, Kelly is definitely onto something Dan, 248 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:13.799 because this is a lot bigger than I think we think. 249 00:15:14.600 --> 00:15:17.200 Well, first of all, let me get Kelly's response, and 250 00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:19.639 also I want to know, Kelly, you're down on the 251 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:22.120 South coast. You're not near Chelmstron. How old are you, Bill? 252 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:26.360 If I could ask, I am sixty one sixty one? 253 00:15:26.440 --> 00:15:30.440 Okay, so you've been around. So this is now appearing 254 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:34.360 a little out of the ordinary to you. Okay, Kelly, 255 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:36.279 your reaction. 256 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:40.639 What Bill had to say, Yeah, So I'm gonna take 257 00:15:40.679 --> 00:15:42.879 it into a little bit of a different story, which 258 00:15:42.919 --> 00:15:47.360 is actually some information that I just found out tonight. 259 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:53.240 A constituent representative, Matt Moore Tori, had reached out. He's 260 00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:56.600 also running for state Senate in a different district. But 261 00:15:56.679 --> 00:16:00.240 they had reached out because they received and eb KEY 262 00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:04.039 card and they were asking why they didn't understand why 263 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.440 they received an EBT card. Come to find out, they 264 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:11.519 never they never applied for this. They do not qualify 265 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:15.519 for this card, but they did receive this card. And 266 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:18.159 just to go a little bit deeper into that, they 267 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:22.240 reached out to the same office, the Department of Transitional Assistance, 268 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:26.159 asking why they received the card, and they kind of 269 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:29.120 gave some sort of excuse along the lines of, oh, 270 00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:33.600 one of the children is receiving free lunch at the school, 271 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:36.879 which was not the case, or it is the case, 272 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:41.240 but the school gives free lunch to everyone. Child would 273 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:45.759 not normally qualify for free lunch. That the person made 274 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:48.840 that clear. So actually, I kid you not. I just 275 00:16:48.919 --> 00:16:52.159 found out this information probably ten minutes before I got 276 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:53.000 on the air with you. 277 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:56.320 Well, that is the pitch, that's much of the pitch 278 00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:58.960 that they should be breakfast for kids when they get 279 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:01.519 to school, which is a good eye idea. Okay, and 280 00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:03.600 there should be free lunch for kids so that that 281 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:08.759 never ever, which is a good idea, But where is 282 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:13.000 the responsibility of parents and then the responsibility of the 283 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:15.440 state start. And then if on top of that, you're 284 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:18.079 going to say, well, if your kid gets a free lunch, 285 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:20.799 irrespective of what your income is, we're going to pop 286 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:23.319 an eb dcard and mail to you. Most people are 287 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:25.440 going to say, thank you very much. How do I 288 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:29.839 use this wonderful piece of plastic? Unbelievable? 289 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:36.000 Well, and it's more, it's more unbelievable because this family 290 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:40.279 they did not they would not normally qualify for school lunch, 291 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:43.640 so they just happen to get it because the entire 292 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:48.880 municipality gets it. However, they're not a family that would qualify. Therefore, 293 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:52.000 that makes it even more concerning as to how this 294 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:53.079 got sent to them. 295 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:56.559 Oh absolutely absolutely. I mean, if if you have a 296 00:17:56.720 --> 00:18:00.680 child in school who's going to get a free breakfast, 297 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:03.880 free lunch, and and and you fall in that category 298 00:18:03.880 --> 00:18:05.599 where you need to help, I don't have a problem 299 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:09.039 with that at all. And if you decide, well we're 300 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:12.519 going to give every child the free lunch, Okay, Fine, 301 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:14.759 we're gonna do it that way. But then don't pile 302 00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:17.240 it on and start sending out free EBD cards in 303 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:19.599 the mail to anyone whose kids is in that school, 304 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:23.160 because you can have you know, the you could, you 305 00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:26.759 could have a child from a from a really poor 306 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:30.480 family who should get family should get an eb T 307 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:35.359 card next to the family of the school superintendent's kid, 308 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:38.440 or the school principal's kid, or lawyers in town, or 309 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:41.039 the children of a talk show host or a baseball player. 310 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:44.519 And they don't. They don't qualify other than the fact 311 00:18:44.519 --> 00:18:46.400 that their child happens to be in the school that's 312 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:49.960 getting free lunches. Wow, that's that's crazy. 313 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:53.519 Yeah, I built good than Kelly good luck. I think, 314 00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:57.799 really I've cat my eyes open for a while on this, 315 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:01.279 but I think you're onto something pretty big. Builds not 316 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:03.319 all wrong, it's not all fraught. 317 00:19:03.640 --> 00:19:08.079 Bill. If you have relatives or friends who are going 318 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:11.000 to be voting down on the South Coast, they should 319 00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:14.079 be aware that Kelly's on the ballot. What's the district 320 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:16.880 that you're in down there, Kelly? What communities obviously. 321 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:21.240 Taunting yep, So it's the third Bristol and Plymouth, which 322 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:28.480 consists of Taunton, Rainham, Carver, Middle Borrow tight in Berkeley, 323 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:36.599 Wareham see konk Rahobis. It's Marion, very very large, large sect, so. 324 00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:37.960 You know large. 325 00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:44.559 I have relatives and Marion Kelley. Bill, you'll get their vote. 326 00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:49.720 All right, sons, great? Thanks Bill, appreciated. Kelly, we're going 327 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:51.799 to take for a news at the bottom of the hour. 328 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:54.119 Here we'll stick with our phone calls. The only lines 329 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:56.880 that are open. There's one at six one seven, two, five, four, 330 00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:59.640 ten thirty and one at six one seven nine thirty. 331 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:02.680 This is actually the sort of change that a state 332 00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:07.000 like Massachusetts needs. Let's take care of people who need 333 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:11.759 the help, particularly people who live in Massachusetts and have 334 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:15.000 lived here. If we then have more funds to help 335 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:18.400 people who have come here recently and they need some help, great, 336 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:20.599 But the last thing we want to do is be 337 00:20:21.799 --> 00:20:26.039 helping people. You know, I don't deserve an EBT card. 338 00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:28.599 I don't know what you do, Kelly, you know for 339 00:20:28.599 --> 00:20:31.000 a living beside a city council. But I suspect you 340 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:33.880 don't deserve an EBD card. But there's enough people who 341 00:20:33.880 --> 00:20:35.559 if they're sent in the mail for free, they're gonna 342 00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:37.759 use them. We've got a night's eye with my guest, 343 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:42.440 Kelly Doner, running for state Senate in the district that 344 00:20:42.599 --> 00:20:45.839 comprises Taunton and many other communities on the South coast. 345 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:49.599 Back on Nightside after this. If you're on Night Side 346 00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:56.559 with Dan Ray on wz Boston's news radio, Branklin, Massachusetts, Matt, 347 00:20:56.599 --> 00:21:00.480 you're on with Kelly Doner, city councilor from Taunton, who's 348 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:01.519 running for state Senate. 349 00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:05.559 Yeah. I had a question about if there's two point 350 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:08.519 six million cards and there's seven million people in the state, 351 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:11.559 are the children getting cards to just the adults, because 352 00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:14.880 then it's like multiplied to like three or four because 353 00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:16.119 the average households. 354 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:18.960 Well, I had that exact same thought, Matt, because I 355 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:22.799 don't think they're handing out EBT cards to children, although 356 00:21:22.839 --> 00:21:23.440 maybe they are. 357 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.920 So it's like the whole state on welfare. 358 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:28.079 Well, it begins to look that way when you look 359 00:21:28.119 --> 00:21:28.720 at their number. 360 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:32.119 Yeah, and then it's like, no, wonder all the jobs, 361 00:21:32.119 --> 00:21:34.279 like everybody's hiring, because like why would you get a 362 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:37.920 job if you're going to get basically free food, free 363 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:41.119 discounted rent and you're like you're living large. Like if 364 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:45.400 you think about like their actual there's like no responsibilities there. 365 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:48.160 They get all this assistance and at the end of 366 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:50.720 the day, they're going to get fed fed well better 367 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:52.240 than us because they don't even have to buy stuff 368 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:54.759 on sale. I mean, it really is like a public 369 00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:57.799 health crisis because they're just buying junk food at the store, 370 00:21:57.880 --> 00:22:00.400 like three hundred something dollars with well, no, no. 371 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:03.680 And again. But the bottom line, here's here's my question. 372 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:04.960 How old are you? If I could ask Matt, you 373 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:09.519 saw like a young guy mid thirties, mid thirties. Okay, 374 00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:10.839 so do you have a family? 375 00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:16.880 Yeah? And uh, and I work make way too much 376 00:22:16.920 --> 00:22:18.079 money to be on welfare. 377 00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:19.599 How No, No, I get that. I get that. But 378 00:22:19.640 --> 00:22:22.200 that's okay, that's good for you. It's good for you. 379 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:26.160 But do you let me ask you Okay, well, let 380 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:28.599 me ask you this. Do you begrudge your some of 381 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:31.240 your tax dollars going to help people who really need help, 382 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:33.000 really legitimately need help. 383 00:22:34.359 --> 00:22:38.039 Yeah, but like again, there's two point six million people 384 00:22:38.039 --> 00:22:38.400 out there. 385 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:41.480 I mean, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, listen to me, Matt, Matt, 386 00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:44.319 I think I'm asking a question and I'm not asking 387 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:47.880 it well enough. There are some people who do need. 388 00:22:47.799 --> 00:22:53.240 Help people transitional assistance like the actual but actual transitional 389 00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:56.559 assistance where like they get just enough to get by 390 00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:59.279 to encourage them to get a job, or if they're disabled, 391 00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:01.759 maybe help them a little bit more. But people, we'll 392 00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:04.640 be driving around and use the cities bends on a 393 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:07.319 high interest loan because for the hell of it, pretty 394 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:08.960 much No, that's a problem though. 395 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:11.519 That's what I'm saying is that whatever money we have 396 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:15.480 available to help people should help people who are in 397 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:17.680 need of help. That's all I'm saying. I don't mind 398 00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:20.839 paying my taxes is going to help someone, but I 399 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:21.319 do mind. 400 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:23.160 Yeah, but like, okay, my tax and we're going to 401 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:25.039