Massachusetts Put Nearly 700,000 People On Food Stamps In One Year, GOP Candidate Says

Massachusetts Put Nearly 700,000 People On Food Stamps In One Year, GOP Candidate Says
Massachusetts state house PD

By Robert McGreevy

Massachusetts added 672,483 Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards to its welfare rolls between 2023 and 2024, according to City Councilor Kelly Dooner, who spoke to a local news outlet.

The state had just 1.9 million active EBT cards in July 2023 but had over 2.6 million as of Sept. 1, Dooner said, citing public records she received after filing a Freedom of Information Act request, according to the New Bedford Guide.

The state’s Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) issues the cards, which are funded through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federal program that provides monthly benefits to low-income individuals.

Despite the number of EBT cards issued, DTA has 1 million clients within the state, Dooner said she learned.

“Clearly when there are 1 million so-called clients, but there are 2.6 million cards being used, there is a huge accountability problem. We need to ensure that our tax dollars are being used to help our legal residents in need, not be abused,” Dooner said.

Dooner called on the state’s auditor, Democrat Diana DiZoglio, to audit the program, according to the outlet.

The Massachusetts GOP joined Dooner’s call, noting “these numbers simply don’t add up.”

“We are already auditing DTA as it’s an absolute must that we root out waste, fraud and abuse,” DiZoglio told the Daily Caller in a statement. “Councilor Dooner’s team has already reached out to our office and we look forward to discussing this important issue.”

Massachusetts GOP Chair Amy Carnevale hypothesized that the rapid uptick may be due to a recent migrant influx.

“While the connection between the migrant influx and the 672,483 new EBT cards seems likely, we won’t have the full picture until a comprehensive audit of the system is conducted,” Carnevale said. (RELATED: Blue State Authorities ‘Ignored’ Detainer And Released Illegal Migrant Charged With Child Rape, ICE Says)

Massachusetts welfare recipients previously used EBT cards at resort destinations in Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, California, Florida, and Alaska, according to a Boston Herald report published in September.

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