State strategies for welfare reform: The Wisconsin story

Michael Wiseman
Additional contact information
Michael Wiseman: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, Postal: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 1996, vol. 15, issue 4, 515-546

Abstract: Wisconsin is commonly cited as exemplar of the capability of states for reforming welfare. Wisconsin's welfare and caseload declined 22.5 percent between 1986 and 1994. I argue that the decline resulted from restriction of eligibility and benefits, a strong state economy, and large expenditures on welfare-to-work programs encouraged by an exceptional fiscal bargain with the federal government. Continued reduction of welfare utilization by means other than denying access are jeopardized by proposed changes in federal cost-sharing, a prospective state deficit, and the growing share of the caseload accounted for by residents of Milwaukee. Wisconsin Works, the state's plan for public assistance in a post-block grant world, continues benefit reduction and eligibility restriction but expands emphasis on employment. The special circumstances enjoyed by Wisconsin are unlikely to be duplicated elsewhere.

Date: 1996
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:15:y:1996:i:4:p:515-546

DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6688(199623)15:4<515::AID-PAM1>3.0.CO;2-K

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Journal of Policy Analysis and Management from John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley Content Delivery ().