Michigan Budget Director Sees SNAP Struggles in Kalamazoo as Governor Weighs $88 Billion Proposal Amid Federal Funding Cuts

State Budget Director Visits Kalamazoo Food Bank to Assess SNAP Impact

KALAMAZOO — Michigan's State Budget Director Jen Flood joined State Sen. Sean McCann on a tour of Loaves and Fishes in Kalamazoo to examine how federal funding cuts and state budget proposals are affecting food assistance programs in West Michigan.

During the visit, officials walked through the food bank's warehouse and heard directly from volunteers about the challenges they face in serving families affected by SNAP restrictions.

"We are seeing the federal government pass the tab to states on some really important programs like SNAP and Medicaid," Flood said. "We wanted to come here to see sort of the work on the front."

Staff members at Loaves and Fishes told officials that the people they serve are having a harder time accessing SNAP benefits, pointing to new regulations from the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

"We know that families are facing rising costs, and so in the Governor's final budget, we have investments to help make sure that people maintain access to healthcare, maintain access to food," Flood said.

Governor's Budget Proposal Includes Major Funding Increases

The governor's proposal totals $88.1 billion and includes more than $186 million in additional funds to administer SNAP, along with upwards of $780 million in Medicare funding.

"The action that Congress took last year blew an enormous hole in our budget and it also puts access to food and health care at risk for millions of Michiganders," Flood said.

On top of addressing federal pressures, the state faces a more than $1 billion decline in revenue this year.

"We built our budget based on those projections," Flood said. "We'll get an update in May, but the Governor's committed to leaving our state's finances in better shape than she inherited them, so we will watch closely what happens and make sure that our spending leaves us in a good place."

Legislative Process Creates Multiple Budget Proposals

The governor's proposal represents just one piece of the budget process. Both chambers of the legislature will each submit their own budget vision.

Republicans, who control the state House, have already expressed wariness about new taxes sought by Whitmer and a $400 million draw from reserves, which they have called non-starters.

"At the end of the day, we care about a lot of the same things," Flood said. "I've seen Speaker Matt Hall's comments about the governor's proposal, but he'll have an opportunity to put out his own budget and approach for solving the deficit that we're facing."

Another sticking point in the process is likely to be House Republicans' preference for alternative funding approaches that do not involve increasing taxes or drawing from state reserves.

Federal Regulations Create Additional Challenges

The staff at Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes told officials that families are having a harder time accessing SNAP benefits, pointing to new regulations from the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

These federal changes have created additional administrative burdens for food assistance programs and have made it more difficult for eligible families to receive the support they need.

"We are seeing the federal government pass the tab to states on some really important programs like SNAP and Medicaid," Flood said.

The visit highlighted the complex challenges facing Michigan's state government as it navigates federal policy changes, revenue shortfalls, and the ongoing budget process that will determine how resources are distributed to programs like SNAP and Medicaid across the state.