Grigsby presses Walker DHS Secretary to comply with federal government on FoodShare program
This week, State Rep. Tamara Grigsby (D-Milwaukee) responded to the Walker Administration’s flagrant disregard of federal regulations related to Wisconsin’s FoodShare program. In a letter to DHS Sec. Dennis Smith, Grigsby urged Smith and the Walker Administration to take reasonable steps to avoid disqualifying Wisconsin for millions in federal funding used to feed struggling families throughout the state.
“Gov. Walker and his cronies are showing a cavalier disregard for the government of the United States of America,” Grigsby said. “Once again, we see the Walker Administration breaking the rules and taking missteps that hurt real people. This assault is turning Wisconsin into a rogue state where Republicans consider the federal government something to be ignored, an attitude that only hurts those we are supposed to serve.”
Specifically, Grigsby raised concern over the Walker Administration’s dismissive letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service regarding Wisconsin’s noncompliant operation of the FoodShare program. A June 2011 report from the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau highlighted flaws in how the Walker Administration operates the state’s Enrollment Services Center. As a result of these flaws, the U.S. Department of Agriculture mandated that a corrective action plan be put in place by Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services.
A June 13 letter from Wisconsin DHS Sec. Smith indicates the Walker Administration intends to ignore the federal rules for corrective action, potentially costing the state millions in administrative funding for the FoodShare program. Rep. Grigsby wrote Sec. Smith, pressing him to reconsider this reckless action that will hurt Wisconsin families. Grigsby noted that the funds which will be jeopardized are designed to help those most in need throughout Wisconsin.
“The FoodShare program is a necessity and we cannot afford to neglect it or the families it serves,” Grigsby said.
“The past six months should be proof enough that legal battles and attacking vital programs for working families represent a backwards strategy for Wisconsin. Yet, here we are again in a situation where millions in funding for our FoodShare program could be lost because Gov.
Walker won’t listen to reason. I implore Sec. Smith and Gov. Walker to do the right thing for working people in our state and fix the problems with their FoodShare operations”
