We charge people for being poor

It's not debtor's prison, but it's close

If a person goes on state assistance, and then — like most people who go on assistance — works him/herself off, the state of Connecticut keeps track. If that person then buys a house, wins the lottery, inherits money, or tries to leave an inheritance for loved ones, count on the state to come collecting.

The state has one of the most draconian “welfare lien” policies in the country.

I wrote this for Hearst.