State Budget Director Tours Kalamazoo Food Bank as Governor's Budget Proposes SNAP Funding Despite Federal Pressure

State Budget Director Jen Flood and State Sen. Sean McCann tour Loaves & Fishes in Kalamazoo, talking to staff about SNAP and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's budget.

Kalamazoo — Michigan's State Budget Director Jen Flood joined state Sen. Sean McCann for a tour of Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes on Wednesday, where they discussed how Governor Gretchen Whitmer's budget proposal will keep the SNAP food assistance program funded amid federal pressure.

Both officials walked through the food bank's warehouse, hearing from volunteers about the challenges they face. Flood told staff the federal government is passing costs to states on programs like SNAP and Medicaid.

"We wanted to come here to see sort of the work on the front," Flood said.

Staff at Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes told Flood and McCann that people they serve are having difficulty accessing SNAP. They pointed to new regulations from the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump.

"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.

The Governor's $88.1 Billion Proposal

The governor's proposal totals $88.1 billion. It includes more than $186 million in additional funds to administer SNAP and 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.

State Faces Revenue Shortfall

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 account, 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 Senate have not yet released their budget plan. Republicans have argued they need to cut spending to address the state's fiscal challenges.

What Comes Next

The final budget process will continue through the remainder of the 2026 legislative session. Both the Senate and House will debate their competing visions before Governor Whitmer signs the final package.

Flood said the State Budget Office will provide updates in May as they receive new revenue projections and work through the budget negotiations.