(The Center Square) – With Saturday looming as the day federal SNAP benefits could stop for 1.5 million people in Ohio, calls continue for state taxpayers to pick up the tab during the government shutdown.
However, a spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine told The Center Square that Congress, not the state, needs to fix the problem.
After introducing legislation late last week that would have the state use money from its $3.9 billion rainy day fund to cover SNAP if the federal government fails to reopen, Rep. Latyna Humphrey, D-Columbus, sent a letter to DeWine this week asking him to step in with a series of suggestions.
Dan Tierney, spokesman for DeWine, told The Center Square those ideas won’t work.
“There’s no way to take any of those revenue streams and place it in SNAP beneficiary accounts,” Tierney said. “We do not have access to the payment system. The solution remains for Congress, and specifically the Senate, to pass a continuing resolution and fund SNAP.”
About 1.5 million people in the state receive SNAP benefits, which could end Saturday without an agreement between Republicans and Democrats in Washington, D.C.
As the shutdown continues, Humphrey suggested DeWine:
• Use Controlling Board emergency appropriations to redirect existing or surplus state funds.
• Allow temporary transfers from agency budget reserves, particularly within the Department of Job and Family Services and the Department of Health.
• Look at public-private partnerships with food banks, faith-based organizations, and community foundations to extend limited state dollars during the emergency period.
• Issue a targeted emergency order to activate available administrative flexibility and authorize temporary assistance until federal funding resumes.
“Other states are already demonstrating that swift, compassionate action is possible,” Humphrey wrote in her letter. “Louisiana, for instance, recently authorized up to $150 million per month from state-level resources – outside of its rainy-day reserve – to ensure continuity of SNAP benefits for children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Ohio has long been a leader in pragmatic problem-solving, and I believe we can meet this challenge with the same determination. We cannot allow another state to move faster than us when it comes to caring for our most vulnerable citizens.”
On Tuesday, Republican Attorney General Dave Yost joined 18 other attorneys general urging Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York to follow Republican suggestions and support a continuing resolution to open the government.
“No family should go hungry because Washington lacks the appetite for consensus,” Yost said. “It is imperative that Congress takes immediate action to ensure the continuation of SNAP funding. The well-being of countless Americans hinges on their actions, and the time to prevent further suffering is now.”
