Data shows DES failed to complete most SNAP eligibility interviews, resulting in massive cuts

Joseph Palomino, director of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, said the data underscores the agency’s previous claims that DES is understaffed and underfunded by the state.

“There are two problems converging on DES to drive the decline in SNAP participation. First, new provisions in H.R. 1 have added bureaucratic red tape, making it harder for families to get and keep the benefits they qualify for. Second, an already underfunded state agency — both in staffing and technology — is being asked to administer these changes while facing severe financial penalties if it falls short,” Palomino said in an email.

The result, Palomino says, is cutting eligible people from SNAP.

“These declines are not evidence of waste, fraud or abuse. They show what happens when we fail to make adequate public investments,” he said. “Whether it’s administering a safety-net program like SNAP, maintaining our water infrastructure or funding our schools, underinvestment ultimately hurts Arizona families — and it hurts Arizona’s economy.”