It’s a fact of life: Governments waste money. All levels of government waste money because the politicians who are in control spend other people’s money — taxpayers’ money.
Republicans, as well as Democrats and Independents, fall into this trap.
According to a report last week, the state of Massachusetts may have set a new record for the most money wasted per person in a single year.
The report shows that Maura Healy, the Democratic governor of the Bay State, and her administration spent $830 million on the state’s emergency shelter program in fiscal year 2025.
Massachusetts receives this honor not because of the amount of money it spends but because of the number of people it’s being spent on. As of December, the state set a limit of 4,000 families.
In 1983, then-Gov. Michael Dukakis signed a statewide right-to-shelter law. This law guarantees emergency housing to homeless families and pregnant women. It’s the only law of its kind in the U.S.
The families under this program receive taxpayer-funded shelter, food, education, legal aid, and case management.
According to the state’s Executive Office for Housing and Livable Communities, Massachusetts spends almost $3,496 per week per family, or around $1,000 per person per week for the program, known as the Emergency Assistance system.
Let me save you from pulling out your phone to do the calculations. That comes to $181,792 per year for the average family in the program.
“The middle class is carrying this state on its back, and getting nothing in return,” Mike Kennealy, a Republican running for governor, said in a statement to the Boston Herald. “While families are struggling to afford everyday necessities, the state is shelling out $15,166 per family per month. It’s not just insane — it’s offensive and a betrayal of the taxpayer.”
The state of Massachusetts has recently made reforms to try and mitigate this problem.
Of course, Democrats don’t hold a monopoly on wasting money.
The point is that all levels of government are inclined to waste taxpayers hard earned money.
The United States of America is a Republic, not a Democracy. There are forms of socialism inside our republic including the United States Postal Service and this example from Massachusetts.
Politicians like Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani want more socialism. They believe in socialism not capitalism.
Charities, like the Salvation Army, are much more efficient at helping people experiencing homelessness than any government agency. The Salvation Army attests that it shelters upwards of 10 million people every year, or 60,600 each night.
Although the Salvation Army doesn’t publicly disclose a specific dollar amount spent solely on housing the homeless, its website says that a $100 donation can provide three nights of shelter.
Another worthwhile organization is Catholic Charities, one of the nation’s largest providers of affordable housing and emergency and temporary housing.
On their website, they profess that they provide services to over 600,000 homeless clients and permanent housing for over 38,000 families, seniors, and veterans.
Many other reputable charities help the homeless in the U.S., including Habitat for Humanity, Covenant House, and Volunteers of America.
Between 80 and 85 percent of the money you donate to the Salvation Army goes directly towards its programs. For Catholic Charities, that number is 89 percent.
On the other side of the coin is the government, which is filled with high administrative costs. I gave up my search on the internet to verify how much money the government spends to distribute a dollar to people experiencing poverty. My guess is that the government is somewhere between 35 and 45 percent.
Another problem with government-run housing for the homeless is that it reduces the incentive for individuals to donate to worthy charities.
Before big government, neighbors helped each other in times of need, and individuals donated to charities that they trusted to help the homeless. If taxpayers believe their taxes are solving the problem, there is no need to donate.
