Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics a proposal from state Sen. David Carlucci is intended to make sure taxpayers can hold on to the federal stimulus payments they are receiving. Carlucci, a Democrat from Rockland County, is drafting a measure to bar debt collectors from garnishing the payments in New York state. "Creditors should not receive a windfall, while hard-working New Yorkers are struggling to make ends meet," he said. Individual tax filers are receiving $1,200; joint filers will receive $2,400. Carlucci also wants the federal government to code the stimulus payments as federal benefit payments thereby preventing banks from freezing the funds and they would be automatically blocked from garnishment. Approximately 30 percent of Americans have debt in collections. Read the full story at NYStateofPolititics [dot] com.