Programs designed to help people
in need face massive cuts in
Washington.
Food stamps are expected to be
on President Trump's 2018 budget
chopping
block.
27 First News Reporter Dan
Marcel tells us how deep the
proposed cuts are and
went to talk to the people who
use them today.
He joins us live in the studio.
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Dave and Mandy, I spent the day
at Mahoning County Job and
Family Services.
They are the group that
administers the food stamp
program to families in the
Valley.
Across the country about 43
million people get help buying
food that number is
the lowest it's been in 6 years.
And with cuts to the program on
the table,
some Valley residents are
worried about how they'll feed
their families.
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Andrew Herrmann, Youngstown
Resident: REALLY... MY FAMILY
KIND OF DEPENDS ON WELFARE AT
THIS POINT AS MUCH AS I HATE TO
SAY IT.
Dan Marcel WKBN 27 First News:
Andrew Hermann is in line at the
Mahoning
County Department of Jobs and
Family Services.
The 26 year old has been waiting
here for over an hour.
Trying to speak to someone about
his welfare situation.
Andrew: DON'T LIKE FEELING
DEPENDENT ON THE GOVERNMENT.
Dan: He, his wife and daughter
use food
stamps. But President Trump's
budget
blueprints are expected to cut
193 million dollars over the
next 10 years that's
25-PERCENT of the program. The
cuts are to help pay for tax
cuts which
President Trump is hoping will
jump start the economy.
Andrew: I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'D BE
ABLE TO BUY FOOD.
Dan: Andrew tells me this could
lead to difficult
choices ahead, pay the rent or
buy food for his family.
Others I spoke with didn't want
to go on camera.
One man told me the stigma
around actually having food
stamps makes it
uncomfortable to talk about.
Bob Bush, Director: YOU GO DOWN
TO OUR LOBBY, VERY FEW PEOPLE
WANT
TO BE THERE Dan: Director Bob
Bush says the Department gave
out $5.4 million dollars locally
in food
stamps in March. They have
about 60 thousand active
cases. Many with more than one
person in the household.
Bob: OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS
STABALIZED BUT
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TYPE OF
JOBS OUT THERE IT'S NOT LIKE THE
OLD STEEL MILL DAYS Dan: In the
end it will be up to the
Republican led House and Senate
to decide on these proposed
cuts.
Trump's budget would also
promise to balance the federal
ledger by the end of
those 10 years. In the studio,
Dan Marcel WKBN 27 First
