Sherrill, human services commissioner urge end to SNAP cost shift tied to error rate
TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Mikie Sherrill and New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Stephen Cha are calling on federal officials to eliminate or delay proposed cost shifts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, arguing the changes could harm efforts to reduce food insecurity.
The officials said the provisions, tied to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Payment Error Rate, could shift significant financial burdens onto states, including New Jersey, without improving program accuracy.
“Because of the Trump Administration’s policies – namely H.R. 1 – our progress in driving down food insecurity is at risk. In New Jersey, our priority is feeding our families. Rather than creating unnecessary red tape and barriers to benefits, we prioritize real payment accuracy and streamlining,” said Governor Sherrill.
State officials contend the Payment Error Rate is a flawed metric for determining state contributions and could require New Jersey taxpayers to absorb hundreds of millions of dollars in additional costs.
In a statement, Cha said the proposed changes would strain state and county resources and could impact services for low-income residents.
“The H.R.1 PER-based cost shift provisions do not improve payment accuracy nor address waste, fraud, and/or abuse, and create a substantial burden on our State and County administrations that threatens our ability to address the critical needs of low-income families across our State. While we urge the elimination of cost shift provisions entirely, we recommend at minimum postponing the implementation of the SNAP cost shift to allow sufficient time to address the many concerns and inconsistencies in its implementation,” wrote Human Services Commissioner Cha.
Officials warned that if the changes are not delayed until at least federal fiscal year 2030, they could undermine progress in addressing food insecurity and create additional barriers for residents seeking food assistance.
