Montana labor news., 1935-11-07
Counties Should List
Eigibles for Pensions

until Government appropriation AFTER
the first of the year, ]. Z. Erickson,
Director Of the State Old Age Pension
Commission and former Governor OF
the state of Montana explains the
workings Of the Social Security Act
and what the counties must do in or
der TO be in line to receive the state
and federal help.
MONTANA RELIEF COMMISSION
Helena, Montana
October 30th, 1885
Clarence Z. Blewett, Editor,
Montana Labor News,
Butte, Montana.
Dear Mr.. Blewett:
As you know the last legislative as
sembly passed an old-age assistance
Act, providing that all persons sixty
five years old and over, and in need
should be given old age assistance, and
further provided that the law should
be administered by a State Old-age
Pension Commission, and constituted
the present State Relief Commission as
the agency to administer the Old-age
Assistance law.
1t also provides that there shall be
in each county a County Old-age Pen
sion Commission, composed Of the
County Commissioners and the local
relief officers. The law makes it the
duty OF the County Old Age Pension
Commission to ascertain the number
in the County eligible for this assist
ance, and it is the duty Of the County
Commission to pass on the eligibility
OF persons applying for assistance, and
to determine the amount of assistance
to be paid them monthly. The appli-
cations, after having been passed on
and allowed by the County Commission,
are forwarded to the State Old-age
Pension Commission for its approval.
The law further provides that this
assistance shall be paid in the several
counties out of the poor fund,
and that the state shall reimburse the
county up to rs per cent of the money
so paid out. The Social Security Act
passed by the recent session of Con-
gress makes provision for cooperat-
ing with the states having old age
assistance law to the extent Of match
ing dollar for dollar the amount pro-
vided by the state and county. The
federal law limits the amount which
the government will match to $500
per month per person. The law does
not limit the amount to be allowed
applicants under the state law, but in
no event, will the government pro-
vide more than fifteen dollars per
month for each person.
So | understand the setup to be that
in the event an applicant is finally al
lowed thirty dollars per month, the
state will reimburse out Of federal and
state funds the county up to rs per
cent, which in that case will be $3.50;
the government paying $500, the state
$3.50 and the county $3.50. This as
understand it is the purport of the
law.
The difficulty in putting this law in
to operation lies in the fact that while
Congress passed the Social Security
Act, making provision for cooperating
with the states in the payment of old
age pensions, it failed, owing to a fill
buster in the closing hours Of Congress,
TO make the necessary appropriation
so that the whole matter is being held
up until Congress convenes in January
to make the necessary appropriations.
We have been assured that this APP
preparation will be made as soon after
Congress meets as possible. We are al
so informed that the state will make
provision to meet its part OF this fund
with which to reimburse the counties.
How is the state going to get this
money when it is appropriated? Sub
division of Section 3 OF the Social Sc
curity Act provides
THAT the Social Security Board shall
prior to the beginning Of each quarter
estimate the amount to be paid to the
state for such quarter under the pro-
visions OF clause ID of subsection
(a), such estimate to be based on
(A) a report filed by the state con
tanning its estimate OF the total
sum to be expended in such quar-
ter in accordance with the provisions
of such clause, and stating the amount
appropriated or made available by the
state and its political subdivisions for
such expenditures in such quarter, and
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