New York counties face $170M in ad­di­tional SNAP costs as Hochul stops short of promising relief – Spectrum News

New York counties face $170M in ad­di­tional SNAP costs as Hochul stops short of promising relief  Spectrum News

Local leaders say the additional expenses could force difficult decisions about spending on other services. BUFFALO, N.Y. — New York counties are facing an estimated $170 million in additional annual costs to administer the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after a new federal law reduced Washington’s share of the funding. The change, part of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, took effect Oct. 1, reducing the federal government’s contribution toward SNAP administrative costs from 50% to 25%. With counties preparing their budgets for next year, local leaders say the additional expenses could force difficult decisions about spending on other services. Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties, said counties may have to reduce spending elsewhere to cover the costs.

“We have to cut programs and services, pave less roads and bridges, reduce expenditures for other non-mandatory or what’s called discretionary spending programs for the elderly,” Acquario said. In Western New York, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said he is budgeting nearly $14 million in SNAP-related costs for next year. The county’s proposed 2027 budget is due Oct. 15, leaving officials to determine how to absorb the additional expenses while balancing other financial obligations. “I’m not the federal government. I can’t print money. So I have to basically reduce expenses elsewhere to make up for