Does a $1 Million Prize Winner of the lottery have a right to public assistance?

March 12th, 2012

She thinks so:

Asked if she had the right to the public assistance money, Clayton answered, “I kind of do. I have no income, and I have bills to pay. I have two houses.” . . .

“I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn’t, I thought, maybe, it was OK because I’m not working,” Clayton, 24, told WDIV when it asked whether it was appropriate for her to receive the money.

But the Lincoln Park, Michigan, resident is receiving money in another form — $200 a month in state food assistance, according to CNN Detroit affiliate WDIV.

Clayton told WDIV she would continue using the food-assistance card until it is cut off. “It’s hard. I am struggling.”

One those houses was purchased with her lottery winnings:

In October, Clayton walked away with $1 million in the “Make Me Rich!” lottery game show. She also bought a car, WDIV reported.

After taking a lump sum and paying taxes, the unemployed woman said she ended up with just more than $500,000.

One legislator wants to ban lottery-money-recipients from receiving public aid:

“We need to continue to protect our taxpayers’ dollars … and taxpayer dollars should be going to those who really do need assistance,” Michigan Rep. Dale Zorn of Ida Township told HLN’s Vinnie Politan on Wednesday. . . .

Zorn said the state House has passed bills on the matter. One would require a state agency to conduct an assets test if a citizen wins more than $1,000 in lottery earnings. “That will trigger whether or not the people are eligible to receive public assistance.”