Leaders from across Cayuga and Onondaga Counties are urging Albany to increase the SNAP minimum benefit in this year’s state budget.
Auburn Mayor Jimmy Giannettino was among the 23 signatories to a letter sent to Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, urging them to raise the minimum SNAP benefit from $23 to $100 per month.
State Senator Rachel May, who represents Cayuga and parts of Onondaga Counties, has been a driving force in the push to increase SNAP benefits. Speaking on FLX Morning, she said $23 isn’t enough for groceries.
“Think about trying to feed a family on $23 a month. That’s ludicrously low,” May said. “I actually did a thing with my assembly sponsor of the bill; we went out to a grocery store and bought $23 worth of food and you could see it was just a tiny little pile in the pile of the basket so we’re proposing to raise it to $100.”
A copy of the letter can be viewed below.
The state budget was originally due on April 1; however, the deadline to pass the budget has been extended to Monday.
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