No food stamps for soda, McGinn says
WASHINGTON -- Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn joined a group of 17 other mayors who hope to ban food stamp users from purchasing soda and other sugary drinks with their government subsidies.
McGinn joined the mayors of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and other large cities across the country in signing a letter sent to Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., regarding concerns to proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides financial support to low-income families struggling to buy food.
The mayors urged Congress to maintain funding for the SNAP program, better known as food stamps. Currently, 47 million Americans use the program. The funding is passed as part of the Farm Bill.
The letter was sent Tuesday.
Instead of across-the-board cuts, the mayors encouraged Congress to reform food stamps in a variety of ways that would allegedly save costs. The mayors' main proposal was to limit the ability for food stamp users to buy sugary drinks and other unhealthy products. The restriction would go a long way in saving costs and also helping an unhealthy population get fit.
"It is time to test and evaluate approaches limiting SNAP's subsidization of products, such as sugar-sweetened beverages that are contributing to obesity," the letter read.
The letter also encouraged incentives for food stamp recipients buying healthier foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and shoring up efforts against fraud.
For more information on the mayors' proposal, click here.