US News

POLS BOUNCE GOV WELFARE BONUS PLAN

Gov. Paterson’s $175 million “back to school” bonus plan for welfare families received a chilly reception yesterday from Mayor Bloomberg, who pointedly refused to endorse the secret taxpayer-backed giveaway.

The governor’s plan was also criticized by Democratic Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, a possible candidate for statewide office next year.

“The county executive believes it would be better for these funds to go to the depleted agencies that provide important services to the poor on a year-round basis,” said Levy spokesman Dan Aug.

Bloomberg dismissed a $35 million contribution to the program by fellow billionaire George Soros as “his right” and added the city already had several programs to help the poor and needy.

“Our policies, we have cash assistance, we have food stamps, we have our own programs we administer,” Bloomberg said. “I’ll leave it at that.”

Bloomberg’s cool response to the unorthodox bonus program — first reported in Saturday’s Post — came even as Paterson prepared to release details of the plan for the first time today. The program — intended to reach an estimated 185,544 city kids on welfare and another 806,931 on food stamps — would be paid for largely with $140 million in federal stimulus funds earmarked for social services programs.

fredric.dicker@nypost.com