Missouri

Missouri, Arkansas, other states scale back food stamp benefits even as prices soar

Published

3 years ago

April 16, 2022

Missouri, Arkansas, other states scale back food stamp benefits even as prices soar

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Month by month, extra of the roughly 40 million Individuals who get assist shopping for groceries by the federal meals stamp program are seeing their advantages plunge even because the nation struggles with the largest enhance in meals prices in many years.

The funds to low-income people and households are dropping as governors finish COVID-19 catastrophe declarations and decide out of an ongoing federal program that made their states eligible for dramatic will increase in SNAP advantages, also called meals stamps. The U.S. Division of Agriculture started providing the elevated profit in April 2020 in response to surging unemployment after the COVID-19 pandemic swept over the nation.

The result’s that relying on the politics of a state, people and households in want discover themselves eligible for considerably totally different ranges of assist shopping for meals.

Nebraska took probably the most aggressive motion wherever within the nation, ending the emergency advantages 4 months into the pandemic in July 2020 in a transfer Republican Gov. Pete Rickett mentioned was essential to “present the remainder of the nation easy methods to get again to regular.”

Since then, practically a dozen states with Republican management have taken comparable motion, with Iowa this month being the newest place to slash the advantages. Advantages additionally shall be lower in Wyoming and Kentucky within the subsequent month. Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Tennessee have additionally scaled again the advantages.

Republican leaders argue that the additional advantages have been meant to solely quickly assist individuals compelled out of labor by the pandemic. Now that the virus has eased, they preserve, there isn’t any longer a necessity to supply the upper funds at a time when companies in most states are struggling to search out sufficient employees.

However the additional advantages additionally assist out households in want at a time of skyrocketing costs for meals. Recipients obtain at the least $95 per 30 days below this system, however some people and households usually eligible for under small advantages can get a whole lot of {dollars} in additional funds every month.

Your entire program would come to a halt if the federal authorities decides to finish its public well being emergency, although the Biden administration to this point hasn’t signaled an intention to take action.

For Tara Kramer, 45, of Des Moines, the choice by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to finish the emergency funds beginning April 1 meant her month-to-month SNAP profit plunged from $250 in March to $20 in April. Kramer, who has a genetic dysfunction that may trigger intense ache, mentioned the additional cash enabled her to purchase more healthy meals that made her really feel higher and assist her to dwell a extra lively life.

“My coronary heart sank,” Kramer mentioned. “All of the recollections from earlier than the emergency allotment got here dashing again.”

Alex Murphy, a spokesman for Reynolds, famous the additional advantages have been at all times meant to assist individuals who misplaced jobs due to the pandemic and mentioned, “we’ve to return to pre-pandemic life.” Murphy identified that Iowa has over 86,000 job openings listed on a state unemployment web site.

However Kramer mentioned she’s not in a position to work and that even getting out of her condominium could be a wrestle at occasions.

Vince Corridor, who oversees public coverage for the nationwide meals financial institution community Feeding America, mentioned ending the additional advantages ignores the fact that even because the pandemic wanes there hasn’t been a decline in demand at meals banks.

Wages have been growing in the USA and the nationwide unemployment fee in March dropped to three.6%, however these positive factors have been offset by an 8.5% enhance in inflation in comparison with a 12 months in the past. Meals is amongst objects rising the quickest, leaving many households unable to purchase sufficient groceries.

“The COVID pandemic is giving method to a starvation pandemic,” Corridor mentioned. “We’re in an actual, actual wrestle.”

Feeding America, which represents 200 meals banks, experiences that demand for meals has elevated simply as these organizations are seeing particular person donations dwindle and meals prices rise. The group estimates the nation’s meals banks will spend 40% extra to purchase meals within the fiscal 12 months ending June 2022 as within the earlier 12 months.

For individuals like Annie Ballan, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, the choice by Ricketts to cease taking part in this system diminished the SNAP funds she and her son obtain from practically $500 a month to $41. Each have well being issues and may’t work.

“From the center of the month to the top of the month, individuals don’t have any meals,” Ballan mentioned, her voice rising in anger. “That is all of the governor’s fault. He says he loves Nebraskans, that Nebraskans are fantastic, however he’s lower off our meals.”

The demand on meals banks will solely develop as extra states cut back their SNAP funds, which usually present 9 meals for each one meal provided by meals banks, Corridor mentioned.

Valerie Andrews, 59, of St. Charles, Missouri, mentioned the SNAP advantages that she and her husband depend on fell from $430 a month to $219 when Missouri ended the additional funds in August 2021. Andrews, who’s disabled, mentioned she tries to price range fastidiously and will get meals usually from a meals pantry however it’s troublesome.

“We’re barely making it from paycheck to paycheck,” she mentioned. “It will get fairly tough more often than not.”

Officers at meals banks and pantries mentioned they’ll do their greatest to fulfill elevated demand however there isn’t any method they’ll absolutely offset the drop in SNAP advantages.

Matt Unger, director of the Des Moines Space Spiritual Council community of meals pantries in Iowa’s capital metropolis, famous the pantry’s price for a 5-ounce can of hen as jumped from 54 cents in March 2019 to a present value of $1.05.

“Prices are simply going by the roof,” he mentioned.

To report a correction or typo, please e mail digitalnews@ky3.com

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Missouri

‘Enough is enough’: Missouri voters form bipartisan group to quash Republican initiative petition changes

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

‘Enough is enough’: Missouri voters form bipartisan group to quash Republican initiative petition changes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) – Missouri Republican lawmakers have once again put forth efforts to curtail the process for citizen-led ballot initiatives following successful campaigns to enshrine abortion rights, raise the state’s minimum wage, and create a legal sports wagering market.

In response, a newly formed political group called the “Respect Voters Coalition” is sponsoring a 2026 initiative to prevent state officials from meddling in the process altogether.

The group’s argument is rooted in the very first section of the first article of the state’s Constitution, which reads as follows:

“[We declare] that all political power is vested in and derived from the people; that all government of right originates from the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole.” – Missouri Const. of 1875, Art. I, Sec. 1.

Ben Singer, who leads Show Me Integrity, co-founded RVC to oppose efforts to roll back the IP process. He noted that both parties have pushed this when they were in the majority.

“When Democrats were trying to attack the citizens initiative process because they didn’t like the Conservatives, who also used the citizens initiative process, Governor Ashcroft vetoed the Democrats’ attack on the ballot initiative process,” Singer said.

Ashcroft issued that veto in June 1992, writing the following in his explanation:

“It is through the initiative process that those who have no influence with elective representatives may take their cause directly to the people. The General Assembly should be reluctant, therefore, to enact legislation which places any impediments on the initiative power which are inconsistent with the reservation found in the Constitution.” – Gov. John Ashcroft, Veto Message, June 27, 1992.

Efforts to reform the state’s initiative petition process consumed much of the 2024 legislative session, including days-long filibusters by a faction of 6 Republicans demanding the issue be given priority and Democrats working to block it from passage. The process arguably deprived the House and Senate of sufficient time to review and amend the $51 billion state budget.

“These politicians who’ve taken an oath to protect the Missouri Constitution need to be reminded of that, and so that’s why groups and citizens across the state, in unbelievable momentum I’ve never seen before, are banding together to say enough is enough, and we are going to stop politicians from attacking the will of the people once and for all,” Singer said.

The Missouri House and Senate will convene on January 8 to begin the 103rd General Assembly’s first regular session.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject line of the email.

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Missouri

Missouri voters form bipartisan group to quash Republican IP changes

Published

15 hours ago

December 24, 2024

Press Room

Missouri voters form bipartisan group to quash Republican IP changes

ST. LOUIS (First Alert 4) — Missouri Republican lawmakers have once again put forth efforts to curtail the process for citizen-led ballot initiatives following successful campaigns to enshrine abortion rights, raise the state’s minimum wage, and create a legal sports wagering market.

In response, a newly formed political group called the “Respect Voters Coalition” is sponsoring a 2026 initiative to prevent state officials from meddling in the process altogether.

The group’s argument is rooted in the very first section of the first article of the state’s Constitution, which reads as follows:

Ben Singer, who leads Show Me Integrity, co-founded RVC as a measure to push back against efforts to roll back the IP process which, he noted, have been pushed by both parties when they’ve been in the majority.

“When Democrats were trying to attack the citizens initiative process because they didn’t like the Conservatives also used the citizens initiative process, Governor Ashcroft vetoed the Democrats’ attack on the ballot initiative process,” Singer said.

Ashcroft issued that veto in June 1992, writing the following in his explanation:

Efforts to reform the state’s initiative petition process consumed much of the 2024 legislative session, including days-long filibusters by a faction of six Republicans demanding the issue be given priority and Democrats working to block it from passage. The process arguably deprived the House and Senate of sufficient time to perform a final review and amendment of the $51 billion state budget.

The Missouri House and Senate are set to convene on January 8 to begin the First Regular Session of the 103rd General Assembly.

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Missouri

Iowa vs. Missouri Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Music City Bowl

Published

1 day ago

December 24, 2024

Press Room

Iowa vs. Missouri Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Music City Bowl

Missouri and Iowa meet in the Music City Bowl, the standalone game on December 30th bowl coverage.

Both teams ended their respective regular season with rivalry game victories in the final moments and will look for a bowl win to build momentum towards the future. In a closely lined spread, and some key players opting out, how should we bet this one?

We have you covered with our Music City Bowl betting preview below!

Spread

Moneyline

Total: 40.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Missouri

Brady Cook: This will be Cook’s final game with the Tigers after he returned from a mid-season injury to lead the Tigers to late-season wins against the likes of Arkansas in the team’s regular-season finale. While it wasn’t as productive as the year prior, Cook put up solid numbers this season for Mizzou, passing for 2,248 yards with 14 total touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Iowa

Brendan Sullivan: The hope is that Sullivan is back from injury for this one, the team’s primary backup that showed some upside in the Hawkeyes offense in wins against Northwestern and Wisconsin. Overall, this is a run-first Iowa offense that will be without star running back Kaleb Johnson, putting more pressure on Sullivan as a runner and to create with his arm. He completed more than 68% of his passes in a limited sample this season (35 passes).

There are two notable players out in this game with NFL upside, one for each team.

For Missouri, Luther Burden opted out of this game to prepare for the NFL Draft, which is a blow to the Tigers’ offense, but not as impactful as Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, who was sixth in the country in rushing yards this season.

Johnson was a big part of the Hawkeyes offense that was 93rd in the country in EPA/Pass and 85th in overall success rate. Without the threat of the standout running back on the field, Iowa will rely solely on its defense to stay competitive in this game.

With that in mind, I’ll lay it with the small favorite in Missouri.

While the Tigers fell short of lofty goals set by a strong 2023, the team still has a versatile offense that includes a sturdy run game and a consistent unit that ranked top 50 in success rate. Further, the team can keep up with Iowa in the battle for field position as it ranks top 10 in havoc allowed and is 11th in Pro Football Focus’ special teams grade.

I question how Iowa puts up many points on the board in this one and while the under looks like a worthwhile bet, I’d rather side with the Tigers to win this game by more than a field goal.

PICK: Missouri -3

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Follow Reed on Twitter @ReedWallach and get all his college football bets on betstamp @rw33

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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