Regulators approve free cellphones for California's poor
SACRAMENTO — Impoverished Californians will soon get free cellphones.
The state Public
Utilities Commission has approved a federal cellphone giveaway program
designed to help the homeless and other impoverished people connect with
family, friends and potential employers.
Assurance Wireless, an arm of Sprint, will organize cellphone distribution. The program should be in place next year.
The Sacramento Bee (http://bit.ly/WaJHNB
) reported that nearly 5 million California residents with annual
incomes below $25,000 and those who receive Supplemental Security
Income, Medicaid, food stamps and other aid will be eligible for the
federal "Lifeline" program.
Access
to cellphones will help people look for housing, jobs and stay in touch
with families, said Joan Burke of Loaves & Fishes, a
Sacramento-area homeless services group.
The state is bankrupt but can give out free cellphones.....meanwhile they can't pay to have the roads fixed, the schools in California are in the bottom of the nation but come and get your free cell phone.
Time to move to California!
Hola Tancho,
ReplyDeleteWhy are you surprised? Assurance Wireless has been doing this with your tax dollars for years. Here in NY [where our esteemed governor demonizes public servants blaming them for the sorry state of NY's finances which of course has nothing to do with the corruption and patronage rampant in NY government] if you get any of the half dozen entitlements, medicaid etc, you get a free phone with 250 free minutes each month. And they complain that 250 minutes is not enough time! No bill for them, just out of my paycheck every two weeks. If they used it to find gainful employ it would be wondeful. Unfortunately, if you eavesdrop on their conversations,you would discover that they are discussing their son's problems with his parole officer and their comparitive reviews of the various state corrctional facilities in which they have been incarcerated. go figure.
happy holidays!
a