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Wednesday, Septemeber 21 2011 // The Statement 7B

statement
Magazine Editor:
Carolyn Klarecki
Editor in Chief:
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Managing Editor:
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Elyana Twiggs
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Hermes Risien
Photos:
Jed Moch
Copy Editor:
Hannah Poindexter

THEJUNKDRAWER

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to Dainc Lhe statCebudget. tu
limiting the number of students
sessing a card played no part in b,
ing the state budget
since SNAP is funded
entirely by the federal
Department of Human it
Services. The stricter +
qualifications simply 1
save money for thefed-
eral government. a
University alum
and State Rep. Jeff e
Irwin (D-Ann Arbor)
opposed the legisla- -
tion change. He said he
believes the boost the Aget
cards provided for the
state economy should
have been further con-
sidered before reaching a decision
"I didn't think it was a good is
rush into turning down money
Washington D.C.," Irwin said
doesn't save the state any mon
fact, more food stamp-eligibleind
ala bring more money into our st
buy food and support our econom:
State Rep. Dave Agema (R-C
ville), who voted in support o
qualification change, said in a M,
Michigan Daily article that the for

wever, ana wC naa tnusanas, Uo n uige
s pos- Card because some were coming from
alanc- wealthy mes. People were getting
a Bridge Card that
weren't financially
needy and didn't qual-
was too easy ify by other standards."
Rackham student
to get on, Sarah Himes was the
director of Michigan's
.n~d tCoo Coordinated Access to
a to ie. Food for the Elderly
asy . for the last three years.
MiCAFE is a private,
State Rep. Dave non-profit organiza-
tion that advocates for
mia (R-Grandville) the elderly in getting
food assistance, and
Bridge Cards if needed.
Himes said the Bridge
1. * Card serves as a direct stimulus to the
dea to state because it is federal money being
from spent.
I. "It "For every $5 spent in food stamps,
ey. In $9 is generated in the economy, and
ividu- that's because they're spending it at
:ate to local stores," Himes said. "They're
y. keeping those stores open, and keeping
rand- people employed and they're support-
if the ing Michigan farmers."
arch 7 Though the change was not part of
merly balancing the state budget, the Michi-

gan Department of Human Se 3
which oversaw the qualification cha
for the state, explained in a Feb. 9 press
release that it was done to stop college
students from abusing the federally
funded card.
Himes said while she was working
with people seeking the card she didn't 3 gove
knowingly experience fraud, however
she said she never knew if everyone she 2,808,76
worked with was 100% truthful. I
"I think that the majority of people a
are really hard-working people who areMichigan resIdents
using this to supplement their budget,"
Himes said. 3
Irwin said qualifications should have * February 2010:
only targeted those abusing the card
instead of all students. I 1,945,982 people in
"It probably would have been a better Michigan receiving 
policy to target the change toward peo-
ple who were abusing itrathercthan just cards. Of those,
say, We're going to cut all students off
regardless of what your financial need 20000 are
is,' " he said. "It would be my preference 0are
if the policy was tailored towards peo-
ple's bona fide needs - not these broad
categories that don't have a great corre-
spondence to the need."
Irwin also said it is not impossible to 1,924,272 people in 1
still possess or apply for a card as a col-
lege student, as Oudersluys exemplifies, I Michigan receiving
so long as the new qualifications are cards. This is 20,000
met. cad .Tu s2 ,0
"If you're a student, and you're also less than in 2010.
caring for small children or caring 0
for a disabled family member, then:A
you can still apply for a Bridge card ource: Food Research and Action
under those circumstances," Irwin Center
said. .------------ --------.