During public comment on July 22, resident Gina Spinks raised concerns about potential federal changes she said could reduce Medicaid coverage and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for local residents.

Spinks said she relied on figures from the Oregon Health Authority and the Congressional Budget Office and told councilors she expects "20 percent of people on Medicaid will lose coverage," which she said translates to "709 residents in Baker City" over 10 years. She also said estimated annual losses to the local hospital could be "$4,100,000 annually for Baker and Ontario" and that SNAP cuts could reduce average benefits by about $160 per month for some households.

Councilors took the comments under advisement; the council did not adopt or endorse the figures as part of any city action. Spinks said she would submit her complete write-up for the public record.

Why it matters: Medicaid and SNAP changes at the state or federal level can affect local health-care providers, nonprofits and households that rely on benefits. The numbers cited by the speaker are estimates she attributed to state and federal sources; the council did not verify them in the meeting.

Details: Spinks said Baker County has a household food-insecurity rate of 13.2 percent and that 49.9 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. She referenced a local Backpack program that serves students weekly. Spinks asked the council to consider the local ramifications of the larger policy changes she described and submitted her written material for the record.

What’s next: councilors and staff said they would accept the submission for the public record; no formal city position or action was taken on the cited state or federal proposals during the meeting.