Show Welfare Rates On Rise I I Public assistance recipient rates have been rising in fn Utah during recent years and now are nearly third one-third above their 1962 low THIS FACT was reported ina in ina ina a study of welfare trends in Utah and the nation prepared by Utah Foundation the private research organization According to the report the proportion of total population receiving public welfare in Utah has risen from slightly under 30 percent in 1962 to 39 percent in 1968 This recent recent recent re re- cent upsurge in the welfare recipient rate followed a general general general gen gen- eral decline throughout most of the 1940 and 1950 decade decade- FOUNDATION analysts point out that the recent rise in Utah's welfare recipient rate is is following a national pattern In fact the study points out that the increases in in Utah are far less than those experienced experienced experienced ex ex- nationally If Utah had followed national welfare trends over the past two decades the State would be spending an additional 30 30 8 million each year for fon public assistance e. e v jON j a ON THE basis of present state Federal-state participation ratios this would involve an added million in state funds which would be equivalent equivalent equivalent equiv equiv- alent to a 75 mill boost inthe in inthe inthe the state property tax levy The report mentions the following following following fol fol- lowing factors contributing to the rising welfare trend in Utah and the United States 1 TECHNOLOGICAL changes have reduced job opportunities for many unskilled individuals 2 Unskilled and poorly educated ed ed- educated persons migrating from the South and from rural areas to urban centers have added to the welfare problem 3 HIGHER welfare payments have reduced the incentive for many individuals to get off the public assistance rolls 4 Modern social problems resulting in increased divorce separation desertion and illegitimacy il illegitimacy illegitimacy il- il legitimacy rates have contributed contributed contributed con con- to the growth in the welfare rolls 5 Sponsored FEDERALLY and private groups have actively actively actively ac ac- ac- ac recruited marginal individuals individuals in in- individuals to seek public as as- 6 A liberalization of eligibility eligibility eligibility eligi eligi- requirements has permitted permitted permitted per per- additional persons to obtain public assistance 7 A PROLIFERATION of new programs designed to assist as as- needy individuals has resulted re re- resulted in some overlapping and duplication The Utah Foundation report mentions that in addition to the increase in public assistance h I there has been a shifting of i costs to social insurance programs programs programs pro pro- grams such as Federal old- old age survivors disability and health insurance Social Security Security Security Se Se- Since the end of World War II expenditures for all public social welfare purposes in the United States excluding education have multiplied more than ten times AT THE PRESENT time the taxes required to finance these social welfare programs are equal to approximately per employed person in the civilian labor force L |