By contrast, during the preceding three months, from March to June, only five states saw their caseloads increase by 3 percent, while 29 saw drops that large. Similarly, in 1999, just four states saw their caseloads rise by 3 percent between June and September, while 34 saw them drop by that much. Some states continue to see their caseloads drop, including New York and California, where one in three of the nation's recipients live. As long as caseloads in big states fall, the national number is likely to continue dropping. Welfare experts have known that the numbers would eventually have to level off.
Some states say special circumstances explain their caseload climb.
In West Virginia, for instance, the state increased benefits and allowed more people to qualify. E-mail this story to a friend. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution, or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the expressed written consent of the Lexington Herald-Leader is prohibited.