The Florida State Representative Jennifer Carroll is cautioning against an unemployment benefits expansion

During a recent comment in the Florida Legislature over the extension of unemployment benefits for the unemployed.  The State Representative Jennifer Carroll (R-Jacksonville), argued against the expansion of unemployment benefits, stating that paying benefits will "encourage people not to work."

Carroll’s contention is likely a popular sentiment among those unfamiliar with the ongoing long-term unemployment problem in the U.S., and particularly in Florida. It’s also an easy statement to make if one doesn’t know the details of unemployment benefits in Florida and isn’t entirely familiar with how much it costs to live.

She subscribes to the feeling that There is a direct correlation between high levels of benefit dependency and poverty, particularly child poverty. And to those who say they can tolerate high levels of Benefit claimants but not high levels of poverty, I have a very stark message: the choice is both or neither.

 

In Florida, the maximum someone can earn through unemployment benefits is $300 per week, which equates to roughly $1,200 per month. In Jacksonville, the median cost of rent is about half that per month. Assuming someone paid no taxes on a monthly unemployment check of $1,200, rent would consume more than 50 percent of the benefits, leaving little room to survive on these benefits

Of course, many of Florida’s unemployed are professionals with families, mortgage payments and car payments. Living on $1,200 per month would be impossible and require them to use credit cards and lines of credit to keep up payments, in this circle of debt

source:http://jacksonville.com/interact/blog/abel_harding/2010-02-10/state_rep_jennifer_carroll_cautions_against_unemployment_benef

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