The Antelope Valley Times

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L.A. County to take legal action against SNAP rule change

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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to legally challenge a federal rule change that would cut food benefits for 304,000 local residents.

Supervisor Hilda Solis recommending taking legal action against changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“This draconian new rule will take food away from nearly 700,000 SNAP recipients nationally, which includes 304,000 recipients in Los Angeles County, by imposing work requirements on individuals who struggle to find gainful employment,” Solis said. “This is yet another assault by this administration against the millions of working families, and children, who rely on SNAP to combat hunger.”

The rule change to SNAP, known in California as CalFresh and more commonly as food stamps, was finalized Dec. 4. It is set to take effect on April 1.

The administrative change is intended to make it more difficult for states to waive federal work requirements for food stamp recipients. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue defended the decision in a news release last week, saying that SNAP was meant only to provide assistance during tough times.

“Government can be a powerful force for good, but government dependency has never been the American dream. We need to encourage people by giving them a helping hand but not allowing it to become an indefinitely giving hand,” Perdue said. “Now, in the midst of the strongest economy in a generation, we need everyone who can work, to work.”

The Department of Agriculture said it would not affect children or seniors, but critics said recipients often share benefits with other family members.

Solis said it would hurt LA County residents who make ends meet by taking seasonal or part-time jobs with unreliable hours. She also pointed to the ripple effect on economic growth.

“Having served as U.S. Secretary of Labor during the Great Recession, I saw firsthand the economic stimulus that SNAP provides to the economy — and the lifeline it offers to individuals and families during hard times,” Solis said.

The board asked the county counsel to analyze the rule and recommend whether to file suit, join an existing lawsuit or file a friend of the court brief in support of another suit.

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40 comments for "L.A. County to take legal action against SNAP rule change"

  1. @Stop Welfare and SNAP fraud @LCR
    Are you 2 really trotting out the old welfare queen boogeyman? That was proved to be a fabrication 30 years ago. I love debating fact free Republican reactionaries. I’ve stated repeatedly that I work TWO jobs, yet I’m a somehow a freeloader. You people literally ignore any fact that doesn’t fit into you’re narrow world view. You are INTELLECTUALLY bankrupt.

    • You aren’t capable of supporting yourself properly in Trump’s booming economy and need to sponge off the public dole so WE are to blame, lol?

      Typical welfare addicted parasite Democrat. And you’re proud, hahahahahah.

    • I heart EBT: I would say you have the problem of a narrow world view: I’m not a Republican, nor are my views reactionary. The truth is, that a person only has to do a little homework to find out that food stamp fraud is big business. You keep working those two jobs, and you keep getting food stamps because that’s your bankrupt state. Your anger issues and ARROGANCE are holding you back. See, I can type in all caps too.

    • EBT: I’m not a Republican, and I’m not debating with you. Your anger issues and ARROGANCE are holding you back; that’s your problem. I can type in all caps too.

    • Two jobs totaling 20 hours a week. Work on your anger issues, then maybe you can work up to 40 hours a week or more. Stop being phenomenally obtuse, and immature.

  2. More people on SNAP are selling their food stamps for cash so the can buy stuff: Meth, alcohol, cigarettes, weed, etc.

  3. Mandatory drug testing for those on public assistance; also there is a black market for food stamps, (selling food stamps for cash). Stop the fraud!

  4. Mandatory drug testing should be in place for any public assistance. Those that abuse the system should be dropped; there are plenty of people on public assistance that work their hustle.

    • Mandatory drug testing wont achieve anything. A handful of positive marijuana cases at best.
      Mind your own business. People like you act like you’re writing the checks for EBT out of your own bank account. Report back when you are working 2 jobs to stay afloat.

      • If everybody was a lowlife freeloader with bankrupt morals like you, the system would crash and the truly needy would suffer.

        Do you come from a long line of illegal aliens or welfare queens? Is that where you learned it?

        Stop Welfare and SNAP fraud!

        • Do you need a dictionary? Do you have reading comprehension issues? Are you another RightWing Reactionary blowhard?
          I work TWO (2) jobs, yet I am a freeloader? You ain’t writing the EBT checks, report back when YOU have 2 jobs – until then mind your own business.

          • First you publicly brag about your shame and incompetence, then tell us to mind our own business? LOLOLOL.

            From the quality of your writings, you should be capable of finding a career in one job in this economy. What holds you back? Laziness? Criminal record?? Tattoos? Democratic politicians telling you the world is coming to an end?

      • I heart EBT…Stop selling food stamps for cash so you can get your dope. This is my business EBT. You don’t need an iPhone, or T.V. I say mandatory drug testing because I know what goes on.

        • @LCR….I have 2 jobs, do you? Do you even have 1 job? You are intellectually bankrupt.
          You are threatened by your own imagination.
          Re•ac•tion•a•ry 
          rē-ăk′shə-nĕr″ē
          adj.
          Characterized by reaction, especially opposition to progress or liberalism; extremely conservative.
          n.
          An opponent of progress; an extreme conservative.
          Of or pertaining to reaction in general; consisting of or characterized by reflex or reciprocal action; reactive.

  5. How about a rule in place to double check applications of denial because people work and workers miscalculate income for larger households 6+, or a program to offer work for ebt, or actually allow educated people on ebt program to apply for jobs through programs,or something

  6. I have 2 jobs and still apply for EBT. Just because I can. The government takes my money, I take it back. How you like me now?

      • Hell yeah I’m proud. I’m required to help pay for YOUR TRILLION dollar war crimes in the Middle East, I have to suffer your garbage economies that require I work 2 crap jobs, so I do my part to take a little bit of my money back – one food stamp at a time.
        I have 2 jobs and an EBT card and I think it’s absolutely hilarious.
        # revenge

      • What makes America great? Is it that you are conditioned to claim greatness where none exists? I have to work 2 jobs just to eat – if I want to collect EBT I will, and no amount of mindless flag waving BS will stop me. Zero guilt. The billionaire class in this country take far more than any EBT card user ever will. Wake up. #EatBetterToday

        • Heck yeah, America is great!!! Do you know of a better place? If so, don’t let the door hit ya…..

          Unethical fraudsters that game the system are not great, and are losers because they can’t support themselves properly because of lack of education, a family heritage of welfare, or just plain stupidity or laziness. Any person with basic education and something on the ball should thrive in our country at this time (thanks President Trump) and not wallow in poverty and resentment.

          Your kids must be so proud, and they’ll game the system too!

  7. It’s such a shame to see things like this . After what happened at the city Council meeting about feeding the homeless in public they should rethink that . People possibly about to lose their food stamps due to certain things will soon have to suffer . Between the rate of housing the cost of living and the cost to feed just one person is so high that this isn’t fair . Do people sacrifice paying rent over eating paying gas and electric over starving how does this really benefit the poor

    • Maybe if YOUR state government didn’t tax you to death some folks could afford to live. They tax everyone at such high rates, and on everything and only a small amount goes toward productive programs. The rest is eaten up by senseless task forces, fact gathering groups, studies and advertising about all of the above so they feel good about ruling from their thrones.

  8. So, why don’t Republicans clamp down on Section 8?

    Is it because, they are likely to be the landlords that rake in the vouchers, not the renters?

    They should have to rent out their houses on the open market. In the past, I’ve seen 4 bedroom, 3 bath homes w/POOL listed in the Valley Press with Section 8 OK.

    How come you folks don’t complain about that scam? Is Section 8 untouchable because it will hurt landlords and developers?

  9. Legal action is a tactic new to the liberal brain. Because traditionally, they get free stuff by just holding hands in some dumb intersection and sing “they shall overcome”.

  10. LET THEM LAZY PEOPLE OF THE AV SUCK IT UP , AND FIND A REAL JOB THEN THEY CAN BUY ALL THE BEER, AND WEED THAT THEY WANT. SO SAD THAT THEY SHOW THEIR KIDS HOW TO WORK THE SYSTEM FOR A LIFETIME.

  11. Nearly half of those affected by this change live in California. anyone else see something in that. I wonder if you used the whole state number what percentage of that 700,000 would reside in CA?

    The CA government is very proud of raising pets instead of actually helping people stand on their own. I noticed they also left out the point this change only requires a 20 hour work requirement per week.

  12. If you can buy a brand new Ford truck a brand new BMW Mercedes have a lot of gold jewelry you do not need food stamps

    • What century will it be when Republicans stop talking up the long-debunked talking points about the welfare queen? Yes, it’s the poor people living the good life, not the wealthy, greedy, money worshipping sociopaths among us. Get a grip.

      • I repeat myself. It wasn’t the food stamp recipients who crashed the economy in 2008 or invaded Iraq based on lies or loads of others things like that.

    • I second that. I really hope this effects all those losers that drive the nice cars, dress nice, and have all that gold on them! GET A JOB!!!!

      • @JamesSosa…You truly are a clueless Republican human being. Nobody is living large on EBT. When will Republicans stop with this talking point farce about
        The EBT card holders? I drive by the Welfare office and nobody is driving a BMW. Actually, people are LIVING in their cars at the Welfare office. Get a grip, you sound hysterical.
        Re•ac•tion•a•ry rē-ăk′shə-nĕr″ē
        ► adj.
        Characterized by reaction, especially opposition to progress; extremely conservative.
        n.
        An opponent of progress; an extreme conservative.

      • @ James Sosa…Cuckoo cuckoo cuckoo..What planet do you live on, James? Yes James, the EBT users are living good, rolling nice cars and wearing gold jewelry. You are a child, please don’t vote.
        re•ac•tion•a•ry rē-ăk′shə-nĕr″ē
        adj.
        Characterized by reaction, especially opposition to progress; extremely conservative.
        n.
        An opponent of progress; an extreme conservative.
        Of or pertaining to reaction in general; consisting of or characterized by reflex or reciprocal action; reactive

  14. Food stamps should not be forever for every person on it. Republicans finally get it right and good old California goes and takes legal action again which costs us tax payers who work and get nothing free

    • Not just Republicans.
      There are people in several parties (there are more than two) that agree.
      As long as the proper exceptions are made for the elderly and folks with medical issues.

      We The People need to stop this crap of Dem vs Repub, Lib vs Cons. Most people are a blend of the ideas and we are all citizens working for the same goals of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.