Title
Body
MEMORANDUM
TO: Lake County Board of Supervisors
FROM: Crystal Markytan, Social Services Director
DATE: May 22, 2018
SUBJECT: Approve Letter Opposing a Number of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Provisions in the Farm Bill (H.R.2) and authorize the Chair to sign
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
As your board knows, CalFresh (also known federally as SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is a vital supplement to many of our local families, helping lift them out of poverty and bringing millions of dollars annually into our local economy.
In interest of protecting our local families, we oppose a number of the SNAP provisions in the Farm Bill (H.R. 2), and are asking for your support. We are joined by the County Welfare Director’s Association (CWDA), California State Association of Counties (SCAC), and County Health Executives Association of California (CHEAC) in our opposition.
The Farm Bill policies would punish low-income families by imposing onerous and inflexible new work requirements. Many of our families are already working, and still struggling to make ends meet. Under the bill, any unforeseen change in hours due to lack of transportation, boss’s scheduling choice, or simply unpredictable business hours could put the family at risk of losing benefits and subject them to a period of time during which they would be unable to reapply. The bill also offers woefully inadequate funding to operate the newly mandated Employment & Training program, working out to around just $30 per person to fund the program.
The Farm Bill would further harm low-income families by once again imposing property limits, essentially punishing families who are trying to save up to make a better life. Not only does this punish families struggling to get off of the program, but it also creates an enormous new administrative burden for our department in gathering and certifying property information for thousands of households.
The Farm Bill would also cut benefits for non-elderly households with high housing and utility costs, and require households to provide utility receipts to our department in order to receive a deduction.
Furthermore, the Farm Bill would cut funding for the local SNAP-Ed program run by our Health Department. Diverting funding to out of county sources that have little to no knowledge of our community’s unique needs.
There is significant evidence to indicate any savings from these burdensome program changes would be offset by the administrative costs of implementation.
We respectfully request you authorize your chair to sign our “Defend SNAP/CalFresh” letter, addressed to our local Representatives.
FISCAL IMPACT: _X None __Budgeted __Non-Budgeted
Estimated Cost: 0
Amount Budgeted: 0
Additional Requested: 0
Annual Cost (if planned for future years): 0
FISCAL IMPACT (Narrative):
None
STAFFING IMPACT (if applicable):
None
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve Letter Opposing a Number of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Provisions in the Farm Bill (H.R.2) and authorize the Chair to sign.
Attachment 1: Letter to Representatives supporting SNAP/CalFresh
Attachment 2: Letter to Representatives opposing Snap Provisions in the Farm Bill (background information)