Hoboken 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos is sponsoring a resolution urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding despite a federal government shutdown.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The fact that the SNAP program is not being funded right now is a total failure by the federal government and a betrayal of people who need help. This is not a political game, it’s about people’s fundamental need for food,” he said in a statement.
“Cutting off these benefits will cause immediate and severe suffering for our neighbors, forcing families to choose between food and other non-food essentials like diapers and medication. It is an unconscionable act that must be reversed immediately, and I’m sponsoring this resolution to demand that the SNAP program receive the funding it needs.”
Approximately 1,400 Hoboken residents rely on SNAP funding, with Ramos also encouraging who want to help to donate to the Hoboken Community Center Pantry and the Hoboken Housing Authority, which is running a food drive.
The Hoboken City Council meeting is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 98 Washington St., and will also stream live on the city’s YouTube page.
Ramos is one of four council members in a six-person, non-partisan November 4th race to succeed Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who is the Democratic nominee for state Assembly in the 32nd Legislative District.
The other candidates are 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo, Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour, former U.S. Treasury official Dini Ajmani, and perennial candidate Pat Waiters.