Title
Urging the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare State to reconsider its proposed asset test in order for needy Pennsylvanians to receive benefits under the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program.
Body
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare has proposed a rule change to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that would require all recipients pass an "assets test." As of May 1, 2012, Pennsylvanians under age 60 can have no more than $2,000 in savings and persons over 60 can have no more than $3,250 to be eligible for food stamps; and
WHEREAS, The new formula would require recipients to be virtually destitute in order to qualify for food assistance, and fully emptying their bank accounts which further impoverishes families that are already struggling; and
WHEREAS, Census data found Philadelphia to be the poorest among the country's 10 largest cities, and the 1st District one of the hungriest, second only to the Bronx, New York; and
WHEREAS, Twenty Percent or 1 in 4 Pennsylvanians today are age 60 or older and Philadelphia has the largest percentage of older adults among the country's top 10 cities (17.9%) and 1 in 5 of those older adults are living in poverty. Almost 20% of Philadelphians elders are poor or economically vulnerable and raising young children, whose birth parents are deceased, incarcerated, ill or substance abused; and
WHEREAS, The number of children in Philadelphia living in poverty is close to 33 percent, according to U.S. Census data released in September, more than 29 percent; and
WHEREAS, The rule change could affect as many as 464,000 Philadelphians currently eligible for food stamps. Almost 30 percent of City residents rely on food stamps for basic survival as well as businesses and grocery stores that depend on purchases by food stamp recipients will be economically impacted; and
WHEREAS, The new rule will put Pennsylvania out of sync with the 35 states, including New Jersey, that have ab...
Click here for full text