Michigan Budget Director Tours Kalamazoo Food Bank as State Faces Federal SNAP and Medicaid Pressures

State Budget Director Jen Flood Walks Through Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes Warehouse, Hears About SNAP Access Challenges From Food Bank Staff

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Michigan's State Budget Director Jen Flood joined state Sen. Sean McCann (D - Kalamazoo) for a tour of Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes on Wednesday, examining how the food bank is handling demand while the state grapples with a budget proposal that includes $88.1 billion in spending.

Flood said the federal government is passing the tab on to states for "really important programs like SNAP and Medicaid," and she wanted to see for herself how food banks are handling the demand.

The Federal Impact

Staff at Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes told Flood and McCann they are having issues accessing SNAP due to the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act signed by President Trump. The federal legislation has created new regulations that are making it harder for people to access food assistance benefits.

"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 food and healthcare," Flood said.

The governor's proposal totals $88.1 billion. Included is more than $186 million in additional funds to administer SNAP, but also upwards of $780 million in Medicare funded spending.

"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.

State Budget Challenges

On top of addressing federal pressures, the state faces a more than $1 billion decline in revenue this year. When asked if the State Budget Office was taking that into effect, Flood said it is.

"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."

The Governor's proposal is just one piece of the process. Both chambers of the legislature will each put forth their own vision. The Republicans, in control of the state House, already wary of new taxes sought by Whitmer and a $400 million draw from reserves, which they 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."

Fiscal Responsibility Debate

Another sticking point in the process is likely to be House Republicans' preference for cuts. Flood was asked about if the Governor is open to cuts, and said Whitmer has a strong record of fiscal responsibility.

During her time in office, the governor has maintained a balanced budget every year. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy notes that the governor recommends a series of tax hikes in her executive budget, spending that would boost state outlays beyond sustainable levels. The governor recommends a 4% increase in the state budget, not counting federal transfers.

Michigan lawmakers do not need to tax people more. Taxpayers can afford the growth of the state government if it stays under the rate of inflation and the rate of population growth. Had the budget grown only at the rate of inflation, taxpayers would have kept $4.8 billion for themselves.

Local Impact

The conversation at Loaves & Fishes highlighted how state budget decisions directly impact West Michigan communities. The food bank serves thousands of families across Kalamazoo County, and any disruption to SNAP benefits means more people relying on emergency food assistance.

Flood walked through the food bank's warehouse, hearing from volunteers about what they're facing. She told the staff she wanted to see the work on the front lines of how federal policy translates to local need.

The state budget process continues through the spring legislative session, with final decisions expected before the session ends in May. The outcome will determine how much of the governor's $88.1 billion proposal advances and whether West Michigan families will maintain access to food assistance programs in the coming fiscal year.

Sources

• State budget director tours Kalamazoo food bank, talks SNAP and governor's proposal — UpNorthLive — https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/state-budget-director-jen-flood-kalamazoo-food-bank-snap-governor-budget-funding-loaves-fishes-politics-government-michigan
• State budget director tours Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes — WKZO — https://wkzo.com/2026/04/09/913108/
• Keep Michigan's budget sustainable — Mackinac Center — https://www.mackinac.org/blog/2026/keep-michigans-budget-sustainable