(PA) A war on the poor: Proposal would limit help to SNAP recipients

A federal proposal to change the rules associated with food stamps would mean less help — literally life-sustaining help — for thousands of Pennsylvanians who by virtually any logical standard need it.

Advocates for the poor as well as Pennsylvania state officials have united in a pushback to these programmatic changes in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program which is commonly known as SNAP or food stamps.

The changes, promulgated by the office of U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, are nothing short of a war on the poor.

The casualties: 200,000 Pennsylvanians, including 16,000 Allegheny County residents. Nationally, some 3 million Americans.

Under the pending change, the SNAP income limit for a family of four in Pennsylvania would drop to about $32,000 from about $40,000 currently. Even according to the USDA, for a family of two adults and two elementary-aged children to eat “moderately” (as opposed to thriftily or liberally) in 2019, it costs about $1,065 per month — more than a third of that family’s pretax income. Subtract rent/​mortgage, utility bills and medical costs and this family will be heading to its local food bank or will be going to bed hungry some nights of the month.

https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2019/10/03/War-on-the-poor-food-stamps-proposal-limit-SNAP-help/stories/201909270038?cid=search