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Florida SNAP recipients express fears about Trump tax bill’s cuts to food assistance

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floridaphoenix.com – Mitch Perry – 2025-05-28 06:00:00


U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and advocates warn that proposed cuts to the SNAP nutrition program in the U.S. House bill could cause nearly 3 million Floridians to lose food assistance. The bill would require states, including Florida, to pay 5–25% of SNAP benefits and increase administrative costs, potentially costing Florida \$1.6 billion by 2028. Many SNAP recipients are children, seniors, disabled, or veterans. The bill also expands work requirements and adds bureaucratic hurdles that could reduce access. Critics say the cuts mainly serve to fund tax breaks for the wealthy, while Florida’s budget and political climate raise doubts about filling funding gaps.

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
May 28, 2025

Here are some of the consequences that will follow if Congress cuts a key federal nutrition program, as proposed in the U.S. House’s version of Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”

“I won’t be able to get healthy foods like I am right now, as I have health issues,” said Peggy Shannon, 70, who lives in a senior rental apartment complex, whose only other income comes from her monthly Social Security check.

“The SNAP program helps provide all of that for me,” said Shannon, who described becoming “very depressed” upon learning of the potential cuts to the program, which still must go through the U.S. Senate before becoming law.

“Receiving SNAP benefits does help, especially if you’re trying to get your education or if you’re income is not where it needs to be,” said Jennifer Nicholson, a partially disabled single mother of four who is allowed to work a certain number of hours per month.

“Kids eat, especially with the summer months coming. They’re going to be home and they’re going to eat more and more. So cutting SNAP at this time would be very hard for some people,” she added.

SNAP means Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, cuts to which could cause nearly 3 million Floridians to lose access to federal food assistance, Tampa Bay area Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor and social service advocates warned during a press conference featuring the two women in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

The program provides low-income people and families with financial assistance to pay for groceries. It’s funded through a combination of federal and state resources. The federal government now pays 100% of SNAP benefits, while the states and the feds share the administrative costs.

Included in the major tax bill advocated for by the Trump administration, and passed last week in the U.S. House, is a mandate that states pay between 5% and 25% of monthly SNAP benefit costs based on each state’s payment error rates (which reflect the amount of underpayments and overpayments.)

Florida’s error rate in 2023 was 12.6%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That puts the state on the hook for 25% of the costs, or $1.6 billion in 2028 alone, if the bill were to take effect, according to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).

And all states would also have to increase their portion of administrative costs from 50% to 75%.

Whether Florida’s Republican-led Legislature would be willing to fill that gap is questionable, and Castor isn’t optimistic.

“Part of the proposal is to say that, ‘Well, we’re not really cutting everyone, we’re just asking states to provide more money,’” she said.

“We know here in the state of Florida we have an unfortunate track record that often comes when the feds say we’re backing off,” she added.

“Part of the responsibility here in the state of Florida, a state without an income tax, and one where we don’t want an income tax, means that you have to be good stewards of the tax dollars that are there, and right now I would question if they are fundamental good stewards of our tax money as they send more money off to private, for-profit charters,” she said.

Deficits forecast

In addition, Florida economists project budget deficits starting as early as the summer of 2026 — another potential obstacle for the Legislature to get involved in increasing its share to SNAP.

More than 59% of SNAP participants in Florida are in families with children, and more than 41% are in families with older adult or disabled members, according to the CBPP.

Citing U.S. Department of Agriculture data, the Florida Policy Institute estimates that 99,000 veterans in Florida participate in the SNAP program. FPI bills itself as an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing state policies and budgets that improve the economic mobility and quality of life for all Floridians.

U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson praised the restrictions on SNAP after the proposal passed his committee earlier this month. A spokesperson for Thompson told Newsweek that SNAP spends more than $13 billion per year in erroneous payments.

Among the new requirements in the bill are expanding work requirements for “able-bodied adults without dependents” to people up to age 64, from the existing gap of 59. Also, administrative requirements would increase, including more stringent identity and income documentation.

“What we know about SNAP in particular is that most people are working. Or they’re on a pathway, as you heard from [the people who spoke today] to get there,” said Castor.

The Tampa Bay area representative labels the legislation “the billionaire giveaway bill.” She says it increases bureaucratic hoops that will make it more difficult for people to collect benefits, adding that because individuals have busy lives they might miss one of those reporting periods.

“Which would mean that they would lose their food assistance, and that’s what Republicans in Congress are banking on, because the independent Congressional Budget Office [CBO] did an analysis … that says that all those bureaucratic barriers do nothing to reform the system, they simply work to kick people off, and that’s where they achieve savings to give the billionaire tax breaks,” she said.

Budget impasse

The Florida Legislature, which is in the midst of budget impasse, fueled by disagreement over the amount of tax relief to pass and how much money the state should spend, has not discussed what the loss of SNAP funding would mean to the state.

Florida Republican members of Congress are hailing the passage of the bill, noting other provisions of the measure.

“No tax on tips; No tax on overtime; Permanently Secures the Border; Largest Deficit Reduction in 30 years; Ends Taxpayer-Funded Healthcare for illegals,” U.S. Rep. and gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds noted in a social media message last week.

“Huge win! The House just passed the Big Beautiful Bill — lower taxes and bigger paychecks,” South Florida U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar said in a video posted on X. “Your wallet just got a raise!”

Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is reported to be concerned about the fiscal implications of the Trump tax bill, which economists have said could raise the federal deficit by at least $3 trillion.

“I want to get a deal done; I support the president’s agenda. I support the border, I support the military, I support extending the Trump tax cuts — but we have to live in reality. But we got to live in reality here: We got a fiscal crisis,” Scott said, according to The Hill.

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Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.

The post Florida SNAP recipients express fears about Trump tax bill’s cuts to food assistance appeared first on floridaphoenix.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This content primarily critiques proposed cuts to the SNAP program linked to a Republican-led tax bill associated with former President Trump, emphasizing the negative impact on vulnerable populations such as seniors, children, veterans, and disabled individuals. It highlights concerns raised by Democratic Representative Kathy Castor and social service advocates, framing the bill as favoring wealthy individuals (“billionaire giveaway”) at the expense of social safety nets. While it presents some Republican perspectives on the bill’s benefits and fiscal concerns, the language and focus on potential social harm indicate a center-left leaning, advocating for the protection of government assistance programs and critical of conservative budget priorities.

News from the South - Florida News Feed

Bangladesh mourns 31 dead in jet crash as students protest to demand accountability

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www.news4jax.com – Julhas Alam, Associated Press – 2025-07-22 03:32:00

SUMMARY: Hundreds of students protested in Dhaka after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into Milestone School and College, killing 31 people, including 25 students, a heroic teacher, and the pilot. The crash caused a devastating fire in the densely populated Uttara neighborhood. Firefighters secured the scene amid ongoing military investigations, with the civil aviation authority uninvolved. The pilot reportedly tried to divert the malfunctioning plane from populated areas during his first solo flight. Students demanded accurate victim identification, compensation, and a halt to outdated training aircraft. The tragedy prompted a national day of mourning, with many injured hospitalized and DNA matching underway for some victims.

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Gen Xers mourn drowning death of The Cosby Show’s Theo actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner

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www.clickorlando.com – Corey Williams, Associated Press – 2025-07-21 16:30:00

SUMMARY: Malcolm-Jamal Warner, known for playing Theo Huxtable on the groundbreaking 1980s sitcom “The Cosby Show,” tragically died from accidental drowning in Costa Rica. The show, which aired from 1984 to 1992, was celebrated for positively portraying a Black family, resonating deeply with Generation X and Black audiences by reflecting their experiences and challenging racial stereotypes. Fans and community members expressed profound grief, describing Warner as a relatable figure and role model who shaped their childhoods and cultural memory. His death was unexpected, heightening the sense of loss felt by those who admired both his acting and activism.

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News from the South - Florida News Feed

You can’t ride out climate change in your air-conditioned cave

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floridaphoenix.com – Diane Roberts – 2025-07-21 06:00:00


Florida’s extreme heat, rising sea levels, and worsening storms are the focus of this satirical yet urgent commentary on climate change. The author critiques Governor Ron DeSantis’ denial of climate science, including his removal of “climate change” from state law and support for conspiracy-tinged policies like banning “chemtrails.” While offering humorous tips for surviving the heat, from freezing clothes to fleeing to Greenland, the piece underscores the serious consequences of ignoring environmental science. Rising global temperatures, melting ice sheets, and fossil fuel dependence are accelerating the crisis, with Florida especially vulnerable due to its geography and political inaction.

by Diane Roberts, Florida Phoenix
July 21, 2025

If you wake up every morning worrying you’ve landed in hell, you pretty much have. 

It’s hotter than Satan’s house cat.  

Venture outside and it feels like you’re walking through a sauna wearing a suit made of polar bear fur while carrying a five-gallon pot of live coals. 

Like so much in Florida, summer gets worse every year.

The heat is immoral; unconscionable; unendurable.

It should be illegal. 

Surely Florida’s governor could figure out how to outlaw this heat.

He solved that pesky climate change business by simply erasing any mention of it in state statutes. 

 Maybe he could proclaim 100 degrees is really only 80, 80 is 50, and 50 is below freezing.  

Kind of like what they call “vanity sizing:” A size 14 dress is now labeled a 10. 

Or maybe we could use Celsius: 37 degrees sounds a lot better than 100.

See? You feel cooler already, don’t you?  

Or not.

Those of us living in the reality-based culture know you cannot beat the Florida heat. 

The best you can hope for is to reach some kind of accommodation with it, appease it the way the ancients would sacrifice a goat or a chicken to butter up a surly god given to smiting people for fun, or figure out ways to avoid the worst of it.

To Do List

I’m a native Floridian; I have suggestions:

  1. Find a swimming pool. Lie in the water. Do not get out unless you are joined by an alligator — which happens quite often — and then extricate yourself slowly. No sudden movements. (Gators do not follow homeowners’ association rules.)
  2. If reptiles run you out of the pool, try a bathtub. Yes, your skin will become quite wrinkly, but it’s better than heat rash.
  3. Go shopping. You’re risking heatstroke getting from the parking lot to the door, but once you get inside your favorite big box store, the air-conditioning will be delightfully frosty.

You can spend hours and hours in Walmart, looking at “school clothes” even if you don’t go to school. Florida’s Back to School sales tax holiday runs throughout August. Unfortunately, the guns and ammo sales tax holiday doesn’t begin until Sept. 8. But it’ll still be hot enough to scald a scorpion and still be hurricane season. 

You can get yourself a bargain firearm suitable for firing into the storm! 

  1. Bribe a grocery store or restaurant to let you sit in their walk-in freezer. Make sure you’ve got a cell signal in there: We don’t want any tragedies.
  2. Speaking of ice, here’s something you can do using your home freezer. Stick a pair of jeans and a t-shirt in there, wait three hours, then put them on.

They’ll be stiff for 20 minutes or so, but you’ll enjoy the personal air-conditioning.   

  1. Leave. Go to Greenland. 

Forget Canada (they’re certainly trying to forget us). Greenland will be the 51st state. The only reason it hasn’t happened already is that Donald Trump has been too busy blowing up the National Weather Service, NASA, and NOAA. 

But you don’t want to wait till half of Florida flees our polluted aquifers, flooded suburbs, hurricane-ravaged condos and malarial sinks. 

Get ahead of the crowd and scope out Nuuk’s best spots for Musk Ox steak and Eric the Red beer.

You’ll never run out of ice in Greenland. 

Not for five or six years, at least. 

Rising tide

This dang Chinese hoax is warming up everything from the Antarctic to the Indian Ocean to the Pacific to the north Atlantic. 

Greenland’s ice sheet is melting, faster and faster every year. So are the glaciers and the icebergs. 

How do I know this? Because some of NASA’s global climate change research websites are still up (see link above), but who knows for how long. 

Now where do you think that all that water from the ice sheets will go?

If you answered “everywhere,” you’re correct.

Sea-level rise is evident in this photo of a flooded palm tree taken on the Florida Panhandle’s St. Vincent Island. (Photo by Susan Cerulean)

If you said, “Especially Florida,” you get bonus points. 

One of the annoying little quirks of vast quantities of melting ice is rising sea levels. 

We live in the southernmost state, the most watery state, the one that floods if you stare at it hard. 

A lot of us live just a few feet above sea level. 

Since 1970, the sea level has risen seven inches, which might not sound too bad, except even a Category 1 hurricane — Debby in 2024, say — can produce a storm surge of 2-5 feet.

With a whopper like Helene, it’s more like 15 feet. 

You see the problem.  

Seas aren’t only rising, they’re getting hotter. Hotter seas breed bigger storms.

Over the past few weeks, the temperature of the Gulf of Mexico (no, I’m not calling it by that fake Trump name) has ranged from 80 to 92 degrees. 

The warmer the water, the faster it evaporates, the faster it evaporates, the heavier the rainfall.  

Add to that temperatures in the high 90s and you get a heat-plus-humidity situation which almost certainly violates the Geneva Conventions on torture.

Compared to the poor souls along the Guadalupe River in Texas, we’ve been lucky.  

Our luck is unlikely to hold. Every part of Florida is susceptible to flash floods

 Deflection, denial

This is, of course, a global problem. 

China is now the worst greenhouse gas offender, but the U.S. is right behind and, given how the regime hates being Number Two, I’m sure we will soon regain the title of Biggest Threat to Human Life on Earth.

New research by the nonprofit Climate and Community Institute shows the 17% increase in the Pentagon’s budget translates into an enormous increase in carbon emissions: 178 tons in 2026.

That’s half of what the entire United Kingdom emits. 

We’re not stopping there, either. Trump is enabling extractive industries to pillage the land from sea to shining sea, making swingeing cuts to wind and solar energy programs, and ordering an ancient, costly, and dirty Michigan coal plant to stay open.  

What, you ask, is Florida doing about this?

(Can you hear me laughing bitterly?)

To be fair, the governor did sign a ban on drilling along the Apalachicola River. 

But when it comes to the climate crisis, he deflects and denies.

In addition to trying to deep-six the whole issue by refusing to name it and calling attempts to address the causes of the precipitous rise in temperatures “left-wing stuff,” he wants you to believe monster storms have always happened in Florida and always will. 

It’s just “tropical weather.” 

And despite what Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia U.S. representative and weekend scientist, says, weather is not controlled by the government.

But just to be sure, she says she’ll sponsor legislation prohibiting “the injection, release or dispersion of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere for the express purpose of altering weather, temperature, climate or sunlight intensity.”

Photo courtesy of Florida Skywatchers Facebook page.

Ahead of the curve

Florida, always ahead of the crazy curve, has already passed such a bill, and the governor has signed it. 

He cites dark fears of “chemtrails” deployed by shadowy green activists trying to fight climate change by “injecting different things in the atmosphere, blocking the sun and doing all this stuff.”

He added, “We’re the Sunshine State. We want to have the nice sunshine.”

First of all, “chemtrails” are not a thing. Those white lines swooshing behind aircraft are condensation trails, i.e. little bitty ice crystals formed when the exhaust from the plane hits the cold high-altitude air.

Second, while there’s some preliminary research on using geoengineering to reflect sunshine back into space, we don’t know how this might affect rainfall or food production and many scientists don’t think it’s feasible or desirable.

Moreover, why spend billions fooling with the sun when we could develop sustainable power, stop burning fossil fuels, encourage clean energy, and hold polluters accountable for destroying the environment. 

Despite most Floridians figuring they can ride this thing out in their air-conditioned caves, the reckoning will soon come.

The hotter it gets, the more air-conditioning we’ll use; the more we crank up the AC, the hotter it gets.

No matter what nonsense the MAGA brain trust comes up with, data are still data.

Storms are stronger. The seas are invading. The heat is becoming increasingly deadly: Florida leads the nation in heat-related illnesses

Science doesn’t care what Marjorie Taylor Greene, Donald Trump, or Ron DeSantis believe.

As I said, you can’t beat the heat. But the heat can — and will — beat you.

YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.

SUPPORT

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.

The post You can’t ride out climate change in your air-conditioned cave appeared first on floridaphoenix.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Left-Leaning

This content exhibits a left-leaning political bias due to its strong critique of conservative figures such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former President Donald Trump, and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, particularly on their approaches to climate change and environmental policies. The article emphasizes the urgency of climate change, supports scientific consensus, and criticizes legislative actions that downplay or deny environmental issues, often associated with right-wing politics. It uses sarcastic and critical language toward conservative climate denial and policies that hinder environmental progress, aligning with a progressive or left-leaning perspective on climate and governance.

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