Mississippi Alliance of State Employees

Local 3570

Communications Workers of America

AFL-CIO

Mississippi Alliance of State Employees/CWA/Local 3570
760 N. West Street
Jackson, MS 39202
ph: 601-352-4939
fax: 601-352-4983
alt: 1-866-MASECWA
masecwa@aol.com

House Passes “Greased Pig”, Votes to Privatize Collection of Child Support Payments – and Pay Private Debt Collectors From Children’s Overdue Money

HB 1009 authorizes DHS to contract with vendors to improve Child Support Program. It is an act to amend section 43-1-3, Mississippi code of 1972, to authorize the Mississippi Department of Human Services to contract with vendors to improve the performance and efficiency of the child support program.
“Can you tell me how much every year we collect in child support?” Rep. Bobby Moak (D-Bogue Chitto) asked Rep. Carolyn Crawford (R-Pass Christian), who was presenting the bill.
“Um, let’s see. The current was about two hundred and twelve million. However, I’d like to say we have over a billion passed due and uncollected child support,” said Crawford.
“Okay so we have $1.2 billion, $200 million in collections, a billion past dues—past due. Does this bill limit the contract price that may be charged for collection work?” asked Moak.
“It does not.”
“If I told you between a third and 50%, would you be surprised?”
“I think we need to do whatever we can to make sure our custodial parents and those children get the money that they are owed.
“Well if we bid it out, somebody’s going to have to the legal fees $400 and $600 million dollars. Where’s that money going to come from?” asked Moak.
“I don’t know that it would cost that much,” answered Crawford.
“Well it’s going to cost something to collect that money. Right now we have DHS underpaid lawyers who collect that money, but there’s going to be a private contract this bill asks for and some lawyers going to have to do that legally.”
“They can only use the funds that they have available through current appropriated funds,”
“Okay so, we’re not to be taking any of the 400 or 600 million from the child’s portion? The money that’s collected we can only use it from the budget that DHS has to collect those funds, right?” asked Moak.
“That’s what I was told, yeah,” said Crawford.
“And we’re not going to put any additional funds in DHS to do this?”
“No, they won’t be paid anything unless they collect, and they can only use their current appropriated funds.”
“So if they do collect, how much do they collect? And where does the money come from to pay them for collecting?” asked Moak
“Out of their collections,” said Crawford.
“Okay so they do get it from the child. They do take it from the child. Correct?”
Rep. Jerry Turner (R-Baldwin), who is also Chair of Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee assisted Crawford.
“Gentleman, they are not taking anything from the child because the child isn’t getting anything to start with.”
“If the child does get 10,000 bucks, where does the 3,300 to 5,000 dollars fee, where does it come from? Out of that 10,000, correct?” asked Moak.
“I’m not sure,” answered Crawford.
Rep. Cecil Brown (D-Hinds) stood asked Rep. Crawford if she was familiar with the very successful legislation that was passed last year to help with child support collections, and she was not.
“The Department of Human Services declined to rebid the contract or accept additional services on a contract basis because they thought they could do it in house. That just happened,” said Brown. “Did the Department of Human Services bring this bill to us?”
“I was contacted by the Governor’s office…Well I did speak to the Executive Director, and he says he’s in support of this and he needs this,” answered Crawford.
“How many attorneys do they have in child Support Collections over there?”
“I do not know.”
“You don’t know. How many delinquent payments, or deadbeat dads or moms do we have out there right now, did you say?”
‘“I’m sorry what did you ask?”
“How many children are currently under support agreements, or should be then collecting money? How many cases?” asked Brown.
“Currently we have 435,000 child support cases and of that, and only 58% of them have court orders to collect the money… and only half of those are getting child support,” answered Crawford.
“Do you know what the back log is on the attorneys at the Department of human Services?
“No.”
“Do you know how much an attorney at the Department of Human Services is paid?”
“No”
“No. But I know that they need this to help get out from being 54^th in the nation in child support collection.”
“Okay but do you know how many cases each attorney in the child support division has?”
“I would assume too many because we’re not collecting the money.”
“Wouldn’t you think, Lady, that if we simply funded that division and hired adequate number of attorneys to do support payment collections work, that we could do that in-house as opposed to going out and bidding it out for 1/3 of the collection amount?”
“I don’t know that we have the time to do that. We need to do something now; I mean we’ve got the numbers. It’s time to give them this option now.”
“Lady, I’ll represent to you that this not something that is going to start up immediately. These cases have to be filed in court and there has been a collection action started. This not something that’s going to happen whether it’s done in-house or out-house.”
“This would just give them an option to contract out, it doesn’t say that they have to.”
“Would you agree with me that if we properly funded the Child Support Division of the Department of Human services and gave them enough person-power, enough attorneys and enough money to do this job that they could do it in house, would you agree with that?”
“Probably, but there’s not any more money to give them. They’ll have to use the appropriated money. Every department could do it in house if they had more money.”
“Is it going to cost more money privately than to do it in house?”
“No the data has not been collected,” said Crawford.
The bill does not address how much money the child will actually receive if a private collection is allowed. Crawford kept reiterating, “This bill does not address the day to day operations.”
‘“Did anyone in your subcommittee address the fact that this bill may not be ready to be here?”
“Sir, I don’t think it can wait. We’ve got the stats. I don’t think that we can tell these custodial parents that they need to wait any longer.”
In more dialogue, the term deadbeat dad was used frequently.
“Tell me what constitutes a ‘dead beat dad’?” asked Rep. Billy Broomfield (D-Moss Pointe).
“Who want my definition?” said Crawford
“No I want the definition.”
“Oh I don’t have a dictionary with me.”
“Okay, suppose I was a deadbeat dad and I got incarcerated. My bill still goes on doesn’t it?”
“It should.”
“How many people do we have in the state of MS that are incarcerated and classified as deadbeat dads?”
“I don’t have that number.”
“How can we be sure that the figures that we have are not a large number of these people that are incarcerated?”
“They still have to pay that bill.”
“They are incarcerated,” said Broomfield.
“They should start making better decisions,” said Crawford.
“Have you ever personally had to deal with DHS?” asked Rep. Bob Evans (D-Monticello)
“No, like I said I have a responsible husband that takes care of my children,” said Crawford.
Rep. Bobby Moak (D-Bogue Chitto) presented an amendment to only provide child support DHS attorneys for people who make up to $44,000, so people who don’t need help, “don’t clog up the system.” The amendment PASSED by voice vote.
Rep. John Hines (D-Greenville) also presented an amendment to allow the billow to take effect July 1, 2015, and the DFA must submit a Request For Proposal to deal with the parameters of the legislation. “This should not be a ‘get rich quick scheme’ on the backs of our babies. I agree that deadbeat moms, deadbeat dads, and deadbeats period should be dealt with, but we should not create an opportunity for some company to get rich off the backs of these babies. All I’m asking is to let DFA put together an RFP to make sure things are done right.” This amendment FAILED by voice vote.
Rep. Steve Holland (D- Plantersville) spoke against the bill:
This bill is totally open-ended and does not have an RFP in it. It’s a greased pig already, and somebody upon high knows exactly who’s going to get this contract. So, don’t you kid yourself. In the funeral business we would call it a prearranged funeral… We passed this a few years ago saying that they can’t do this. You don’t want to do this under any circumstances… The Speaker of this House and the Lieutenant Governor need to put together a strong study committee to look at every aspect of DHS and Child Support Collections, not just pawn it off on some big law firm out on Renaissance Plaza, or wherever it may be. This is home-cooking at its best, and it will solve no problems. You better think hard and long. I don’t care what stripe you’re wearing. It doesn’t have anything to do with stripes; it’s got to do with right. This bill is no count. It has no meat and bounce. It has no transparency. It has no accountability. It has no efficiency, and it needs to be defeated.
Rep James Evans (D-Hinds) then spoke against the bill:
It’s painful to hear somebody say, ‘We have to do something.’ If ‘something’ is all you’ve got, then do nothing until you come up with ‘something… I haven’t heard DHS ask for this. This policy has not been thought out and it’s not ready. Quite frankly, I’m surprised that somebody didn’t recommit this to the committee for further study so that we could come back and be told what this bill would really do. I know what it will do. It will unleash the executive director of any department to just about whatever they please, because this bill does not define what they cannot do. We don’t usually do that ladies and gentlemen…I urge you to completely defeat this amendment and this bill.

This bill 57-57 failed at first, but Turner and Crawford did not vote. When their votes were counted, the bill PASSED 57 nays 59 yeas. The bill was held a motion to reconsider. Click here to see how your representative voted.

February 13, 2013

WILL CHILD SUPPORT BE PRIVATIZED?

Please watch MASE/CWA President Brenda Scott speaking HERE about how you can help prevent the Legislature from privatizing Child Support in this Legislative session.

August 20, 2012

PRIVITAZATION LOOMING AGAIN?

By Brenda Scott, President, MASE/CWA:

I would like to suggest that DHS Child Support workers pay very close attention to the last statement made in THIS release from the Department of Human Services.

MASE/CWA believes that this is a cue to reversing back to what happened in the early 90s when MAXIMUS came on the scene. Please don't sit idly by and believe that the Tea Party and friends of the Republicans will protect SERVICES over PROFITS. They never have and they NEVER will. Take action now and see how you can HELP yourself and family!!!

Welcome to The Mississippi Alliance of State Employees/Communications Workers of America (MASE/CWA)

Currently, we are the largest public workers' union in Mississippi, representing over 3,000 state workers in such state agencies as: Dept. of Human Services, Health, Medicaid, Dept. of Transportation, Corrections, Mental Health, MS Industries for the Blind, MS Educational Television Authority, MS State Tax Commission, MS Dept. of Vocational Rehabilitation, MS Public Service Commission and the Institutions for Higher Learning, which includes the University Medical Center, as well as all state universities. Additionally, there are over 800 members in separate branches of our union that include the City of Jackson employees and Headstart employees in 10 counties around Mississippi.

As a "right to work" state, Mississippi is tough to organize; but the courage and determination of our rank and file, elected leadership, and our staff of organizers have delivered us some real successes in the twenty years of our existence.

Become a fan of MASE/CWA on facebook! click here!

Follow MASE/CWA on twitter! click here!

We are the largest and only Public Sector local in Mississippi under District 3 Communications Workers of America's Vice-President Judy Dennis.

MASE/CWA also receives the support and assistance of our Public Sector Vice-President Brooks Sunkett at the National Headquarters of the Communications Workers of America located in Washington, D.C. :

CWA was founded in New Orleans in 1938 and is the largest telecommunications union in the world, representing nearly 700,000 workers in public and private sector employment.

CWA members are employed in the telecommunications industry, printing and news media, public service, television, general manufacturing, sound and electronics, construction, as well as gas and electric utilities.

There are more than 1,250 CWA chartered local unions throughout the U.S. and Canada. CWA members live and work in more thatn 10,000 different communities.

As such, we are part of the larger family of labor, the AFL-CIO.

The AFL-CIO speaks for the whole labor movement before Congress and other branches of government and coordinates Labor's legislative agenda and lobbying efforts. They coordinate grass roots action such as boycotts, demonstrations, rallys, etc.

The AFL-CIO works to increase the public's awareness of unions and what they stand for through public relations including the series of TV and radio spots called UNION YES! They are the providers of the Union Privilege benefit programs.

JOIN MASE/CWA!

Mississippi state workers are encouraged to join MASE/CWA; we're here for you! Whether a member or not, you've benefitted from our efforts over the years; but we could accomplish so much more if EVERY state worker was a union member. Our strength is in our numbers and in our level of activism. Contact us to learn more about how you can join or become more active!

From the President’s Desk:

As many of you know, I am an Independent when it comes to supporting candidates, however, after having to fight for the last eight years against legislation detrimental to state workers, this letter may give you the impression that I am a staunch Democrat. See it as you may, but I am going to be totally straightforward with you.

Because of the Republican control of the Governor’s office, the Lt. Governor’s position, and the Senate, it has been hard to get anything good passed, from pay raises for state workers, affordable health insurance and an ever present attempt to end your pension as you know it.

Under the Barbour/Lt Gov. Bryant’s administration, there has been a constant attack on public employees’ due process right which protects job security based upon years of services, job performance and veteran status. Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, is exactly right, when he said if elected to office it will be a smooth transition (more of the same) and that is what scares the hell out of our state employees.

We are tired of our elected politicians trying to pin the blame for the bad economic times on state workers and their pensions, falsely claiming they’re the reason the state is at risk of going broke.

Gov. Barbour has appointed a commission to study PERS made up of BUSINESS people, ELECTED officials and financials EXPERTS (lol) and led by Republican Mayor Schloegel of Gulfport. One of the main areas being looked into is what portion of the system is funded by taxpayers and what portion is funded by workers toward their own retirement? Remember what happened to your contribution in July 2010? Gov. Barbour is also asking them to examine the legality of changing the contribution for current and future state employees. He is moving forward with his attempt to make changes even though in the PERS report it states that:

"This announcement has stirred much concern among both our members and retirees. So, let me be clear about the financial state of our Retirement System. As I have said in the past, we are not as well funded as we should be; however, adjustments have been made and time should “right the ship.” For the year ended June 30, 2011, our investment return was 25.40 percent and our assets had grown to $20.8 billion, providing sufficient liquidity to pay retirement benefits for many years to come. PERS has been around for nearly 60 years, and we plan to be providing retirement security for public employees after their careers in public service for many more years."

The state retirement system board in recent years has recommended that MS put more money into the system, but lawmakers and Barbour have resisted doing so. Why? What do you think this commission will report considering the hostility of private-sector managament across the country? If we don't STICK TOGETHER, one-by-one for our issues, we will GO DOWN!

There is a 50/50 chance that the Republicans may take the House; if so there will be hell to pay for workers if they succeed. DON'T sit by and let this happen!

In Solidarity,

Brenda R. Scott

President

MASE/CWA President

Brenda Scott

Brenda Rice Scott, a native of Adams County Mississippi and a graduate of Alcorn State University, is a former employee of the Mississippi Department of Health and the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

Through her role as a MASE/CWA activist, she was recruited to become the first state employee hired as an organizer in Mississippi on its staff in 1990.

Brenda was the recipient of the 2003 Southern Christian Leadership’s "Drum Major for Justice Award" and the 2003 Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.’s "Eye on the Prize Award" in organizing. In addition, Ms. Scott was presented with the CWA 2005-2006 Organizing President's Annual Award.

She was the first elected vice-president of MASE/CWA and after serving one term in that position, she was elected President of the local. Currently, she is serving in her sixth term in that position.

Web Hosting by Yahoo!