OKLAHOMA CITY — Governor Kevin Stitt is not planning to use the state's rainy day fund to supplement a potential lapse in SNAP benefits at this time.
Stitt addressed concerns at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City at 1 p.m. on Oct. 29.
WATCH the full press conference:
“Congress needs to act,” said Stitt.
It comes after the announcement that SNAP benefits would be frozen Nov. 1 if the shutdown continues.
“Now is the time for us to step up as fellow Oklahomans,” said Gov. Stitt. “The Oklahoma standard. Neighbors walking with neighbors.”
WATCH: Gov. Stitt urges non-profits, churches to step up in SNAP lapse
Stitt said while Oklahoma’s rainy day fund is maxed out, it’s not an option right now to cover the nearly $130 million the state would need to pay for SNAP just in November.
“Talk about how much is in that fund and at what point the state would actually use the money?" 2 News asked.
“To access the rainy day fund its set up in a way that you’re only supposed to access it in a revenue failure,” replied Stitt. “We don’t have a revenue failure. This is a federal government problem not a state problem.”
He said while there is close to a billion dollars in that rainy day fund, the max amount the state could access is $300 million. It would required a 2/3 vote from the legislature and calling lawmakers back in for a special session.
Plus, Stitt says it’s not guaranteed the federal government would pay them back.
“If we use state funds whether that be from a rainy day fund or from other sources the federal government has said they are not going to reimburse us or its not likely or they can’t guarantee it,” said Gov. Stitt.
To fill in the gap, he’s calling on churches and food banks to step in.
Jeff Marlow, CEO of the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, says they’re already ramping up distribution.
“Hunger doesn’t discriminate,” said Jeff Marlow. “It affects all walks of life.”
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Marlow says on average Oklahoma SNAP recipients get about $140 a month. He says without that money they’ll continue to see an increase at local food pantries. They’ve already been 27% busier.
“This is a crisis that we’ve never seen and it’s going to take everybody including the state and the federal government,” said Marlow.
He says their goal is to double distribution which could cost $5 million. It’s to help the roughly 275 thousand people across Green Country who rely on SNAP.
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State Democrats are calling for Stitt to hold a special session reguarding SNAP:
“It is long overdue for the Governor to act and help the nearly 700,000 Oklahomans—most of them children, veterans, and seniors—as they prepare to lose SNAP benefits in three days. Food banks, churches, and nonprofits are stretched thin on a normal day. We cannot expect them to supplement everyone’s needs during the crisis that is the longest government shutdown. I am thankful for our food banks pledging to double their efforts, but we know that still won’t be enough.
“The Legislature needs to convene for a Special Session to allocate state funds to the places doing real work to meet the needs of hungry Oklahomans. Governors across this country have managed to set up funding for food banks and EBT cards for their citizens—our Governor could do the same. Standing in front of an organization doing the work and asking for assistance while providing no real solutions is offensive. There are solutions that we can enact if we come together. I will put forth every effort to make sure that happens. This need will only grow if state and federal officials continue to place blame instead of act.” –House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City
“We cannot allow children to starve or be traumatized trying to find their next meal. The federal government must find a solution and end the worry and confusion of the many Oklahoma families who rely on SNAP for their groceries. We cannot expect charity to fill this huge public safety gap. We have an obligation to protect children. The solutions offered by the governor today are inadequate. He needs to call the legislature into a special session to work on real and immediate solutions.”–Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City
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