Posted on: Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Audit of welfare funding requested

Advertiser Staff

State Rep. Brian Schatz has called for a state audit into the Lingle administration's use of federal welfare money.

The administration has used some of the federal money for a media campaign against substance abuse and for culture and the arts.

Schatz, D-25th (Makiki, Tantalus), questions whether the money should have gone to needy families.

State Department of Human Services director Lillian Koller has said Hawai'i is eligible for up to $98 million in federal welfare block grant money a year and that the administration wants to make full use of the money. Koller said some lawmakers seem angry and a little embarrassed that they haven't been able to take advantage of the money in the past. "We were kind of perplexed that they've never taken much of an interest in this large amount of money that we get," she said.