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Cuomo, Bloomberg At Odds Over Fingerprinting Food Stamp Recipients

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to get rid of the requirement to fingerprint food stamp recipients and that is getting a big thumbs down from Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

WCBS 880's Rich Lamb On The Story

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Bloomberg says there's no stigma to being fingerprinted, citing the fact that New York City has 330,000 employees and almost all of them get fingerprinted.

"It's also true there are allegations it slows down the process and all that sort of stuff. The percentage of people who are eligible for food stamps who actually receive the food stamps is greater in New York City where we have fingerprints than in the rest of the state where they don't take fingerprints," said Bloomberg on Thursday.

The mayor said using fingerprints, the city caught 1,900 people fraudulently trying to get food stamps last year.

Christine Quinn
Christine Quinn cuts the ribbon on a food pantry - Bronx, NY - Jan 6, 2012 (credit: Paul Murnane / WCBS 880)

WCBS 880's Paul Murnane With Speaker Quinn

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At the dedication of a food pantry on Webster Avenue on Friday, City Council speaker Christine Quinn hailed Cuomo's plan.

"No one who needs food stamps who comes here or anywhere else in the City of New York is gonna have to be fingerprinted like they murdered or robbed somebody," she said.

Do you think food stamp recipients should be fingerprinted? Sound off in the comments section below!

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