Court Opinion

ID: 9697006
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 19:03:30.053149+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:27:45.258483
License: Public Domain

LARSEN, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent.
Not only do I find appellant Department of Public Welfare’s (DPW) deliberate choice to ignore the rulings of Commonwealth Court to be contemptible, that choice is morally reprehensible as well. There will never be a way to *338determine exactly how many good citizens of this Commonwealth were unable to regain the dignity of a useful and productive life during the economic crisis of this decade because of appellant’s begrudging and distorted interpretation of the special needs regulation. In this regard, I adopt the decision in this case of Judge MacPhail as my own. Pelton v. Commonwealth, Department of Public Welfare, 92 Pa.Commw. 181, 498 A.2d 1380 (1985).
A working automobile, protective clothing, uniforms and tools are just as critical to those collecting public assistance who are already employed or in training as are such items to those readying themselves for a new job or training program where the household budget cannot accommodate these expenses. The majority’s holding today will ensure that the Anna Peltons and Nancy Boudmans of this Commonwealth will be forced to lose their jobs or drop out of training and then again search for employment or apply for another training program before appellant will advance the funds to repair worn-out vehicles.1 I seriously doubt that the enabling legislation contemplates such a result.
Furthermore, I note that appellant also filed for summary judgment in this case and find its request to remand for purposes of the introduction of more evidence to be incomprehensible. Appellant on the one hand argues that persons in the position of appellees can afford to repair their cars, pointing to documents of record which allegedly prove its point; yet, on the other hand, appellant argues that it needs a trial to prove that those who are employed and/or in training are less needy than those who are unemployed and not in training. The majority agrees with this position and states that a remand is necessary to adjudicate the *339equal protection challenge to appellant’s classification of eligible recipients of the one-time special needs grants. Maj. op. at 334-335. Inasmuch as it took this case six years to reach us in its present posture, I expect that the equal protection argument will be made before this body in the early 1990s. I cannot imagine that Anna Pelton’s or Nancy Boudman’s cars will be amenable to any rehabilitation at that late date.
Without transportation or the proper clothing or tools for a job or training program, public assistance recipients will require more than partial assistance when they lose their jobs because they lack what is required “to apply for or to accept employment or training.” The majority is cutting off its nose to spite its face.
Accordingly, I dissent and would affirm the order of Commonwealth Court granting appellees’ motion for summary judgment and denying appellant’s cross-motion for summary judgment.

. Anna Pelton testified that she was told to withdraw from her college courses for failure to attend, and that she was bringing home a slimmer pay check due to missed work. The cost of repairs already made to her automobile resulted in delinquent utility bills and less food on the table. Hearing on Appeal (Feb. 13, 1981). Nancy Boudman testified that she depended upon others to transport her to her job and had missed work when those others were on vacation and not commuting. She feared losing her job if she continued to fail to report to work. Hearing on Appeal (Feb. 5, 1981).