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State Disability Cards Cause Money Woes For Local Woman

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- The state of California recently switched to paperless disability payments, because it was supposed to speed up the process. But, one woman says now she has no cash for Christmas because of the state.

With just la few days before Christmas, everybody needs money for food, presents and just to celebrate. But for Shelley Campbell, she says it's the state that's the Grinch for stealing her family's Christmas.

With very little in her cabinets and refrigerator, Shelley Campbell is flat out broke.

"There's nothing in there. I don't so much as have a quarter," says Shelley.

And with no money, she can't buy her family anything special for the holiday.

Shelley relies solely on her disability check for the state to pay her bills.  Now, the state is no longer issuing checks, and instead going paperless and issuing debit cards, Shelley is still waiting for hers to come in the mail.

"I can't so much as afford a dinner," she says.

The state says people should be receiving their debit cards within a day of getting their mailed pay stubs.

Shelly's debit card is now five days late.

"I wanted to jump off a balcony," says Shelley.

So far, the E.D.D. which pays the benefits, says $40,000 people are now using the debit card system and they've only received five complaints similar to Shelley's.  But, Shelley wonders if there really are a lot more, but just not as desperate as she is.

"Where does that leave me when I depend on my check every two weeks, it's not fair," Shelley said.

Now the state says once everybody has the debit card, it will make the process much easier for people to get their money rather than waiting for a check to come in the mail.

By next spring, people on unemployment will be using the cards as well.

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