Elderly Alaskans on very low incomes should find it easy to collect $120 a month through a new program. The aid is intended to ease the pain of Gov. Frank Murkowski's elimination of the immensely popular Longevity Bonus Program.
The ease of applying for the money carries a potential cost. The program won't be fraud-proof, state officials say.
No interview is required. No documentation of income. No visit to the welfare office. The program will operate in part on trust.
The money is for Alaska residents 65 or older who are poor. They must fill out a two-page application and say their income and assets are low enough to qualify.