The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Cuyahoga County

Tariq Shabazz
3 hours ago
3 min read

As the Next Cuyahoga County Executive, It’s imperative that legitimate leadership is at the helm as opposed to the corporate, establishment candidate.

During this budgetary lapse, there are a wide array of entitlements and resources that have been attenuated are at threat of no funding mechanism.

SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program which historically was known as Food Stamps. According to the Trump administration which has placed this disclaimer on the the USDA’s webpage indicating their perception of this program

“Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance 1.”

The State of Ohio produces the Public Assistance Monthly Statistics (PAMS) which has existed since 2002, for which official highlight the case summary data for Ohio Works First (OWF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) across all 88 counties.

According to the July report, the state of Ohio has 1,389,247 people that utilize SNAP’s services. With respect to the state that has approximately 12 million people, that would be an indication of upward of 10% of the population relies on SNAP.

According to the PAMS report in July, Cuyahoga has 182,302 people, which are 96,960 households that have low incomes that require SNAP for their families just to get by. Although Cuyahoga is the 2nd largest county in the state it leads all counties in individuals that require SNAP with Franklin county having 163,303 individuals that require the assistance of the program. 2

Recommendations from the next Executive.

The State should be prepared to exhaust their rainy day funds just as prescribed in the state level Bill- H.B. No. 502, that was sponsored by State Representative Humphrey. The language of the bill states. “To make an appropriation to continue to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families programs, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children contingent upon a lapse in federal funding… 3.
I call on our Federal legislators to pass legislation that formally requires the entitlements of SNAP to be paid regardless of a Budgetary Impasse or known as a Government Shutdown. This will ensure all 1.3 million people that rely on SNAP don’t have their benefits cut in the most trying times.
Our federal governnnet should work to pass Medicare for all which will provide a single payer health care coverage for all Americans. I endorse this plan over the the Affordable Care Act, that has immense costs for their premiums, etc that continue to skyrocket.
I call on the state of Ohio for its abject failure of being a steward in resources while in the same year as a shutdown has decided to doll out $600 million dollars for the Haslams Sports Groups to build a wonderland dome. These funds should be immediately scrapped from the project. Let the Billionaire pay for their on projects with full private financing options. -They have the credit.
In Cuyahoga County, it is ran by my future predecessor Chris Ronayne. Since taking office he has made historic failures while avoiding accountability from his feckless leadership in a number of areas. The lack of true oversight regarding the Sheriff with the number of deaths in the correctional facilities4, the patrols leading to the deaths of innocent bystanders by our deputies pursuit, etc 5. Ronayne is building a $1 Billion dollar jail all while creating an impression he’s working on your behalf 7. like the cozy photo ops he’s known for taking with struggling seniors while attempting to mass incarcerate their grandchildren.

For the people

Don’t forget politics is local and local is everything!

When I assume office there will be the Shabazz social contract established which will fundamentally ensure that all insecurities our met with either public goods and or services.

Housing as a fundamental right

Food as a fundamental right

Healthcare as a fundamental right

Jobs guarantees

County department of Education