On Thursday April 29, 2004, in Colorado Springs, C0, The UCCS Center for the Study of Government and the Individual hosted an evening dinner program, entitled "Economic Impact of Welfare Programs".  Robert A. Sirico, President, Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, spoke to a group of students, professors and community leaders. 
 
Rev. Sirico called for a reduction in federal programming of welfare and uses the federal government only as a safety program in the future.  Additionally, he called for the expanded use of charity based and religious based service groups in our society to provide such as welfare.  He argues that such groups have (but need to strengthen) the moral integrity necessary to make such programs successful.  He believes the idea of "it takes a village" has some merit.  He calls for "governance without necessary calling in government".  This would work to eliminate the competition that often exists between the charitable groups "The Village" and the State where that intervention often results in the supplanting of parents and the "village".
 
Rev. Sirico suggests, as do many others, that the Welfare state is an abject failure and not because it is too generous as many claim, but because it is to cheap. In part it has failed because the program has often led to the abandonment of a sense of obligation in our social communities. There is a growing awareness that the state is unable to take care of all of our needs..  He proposes that there is still a part of our community out there that will provide the compassion and charitable work to fulfill people’s needs.  These organizations must reform the idea that they can serve the needs of the entire world and focus on meeting needs at the most local level.
 
Rev. Sirico believes that a good incentive for using charitable groups for services of welfare would be a federal tax credit as an economic motivation.  The tax credit (not a tax deduction) would be as much as 50% for those who fund those charitable groups’ services.  This would give a further incentive to expand giving to those persons who are already giving to charitable groups and lead to new giving as well. He proposes that large corporations be given similar tax credits.  At the same time the federal government's expenditures would be reduced in similar amount (reserving their services for safety net services).  This initiates a move from "Public provision of services to "Private" provision of services.  This would in effect strengthen the charitable group values and promote better provision of services.  Services would only go to those who work to improve their status and become more productive citizens (Those who get services are those who work to help themselves.)

Click here for information explaining how one can listen to or watch Rev. Sirico’s presentation on the CSGI website.