Sen. Kristen Dessler Elfheim warns Winnebago officials about SNAP work rules, administrative cost shift and a $70 million shortfall

Sen. Kristen Dessler Elfheim visited a Winnebago County ADRC meeting to hear local concerns and warned that federal and state policy changes will push new costs onto counties. She told attendees the state faces new SNAP work requirements and a possible multi‑million‑dollar fiscal gap unless lawmakers act.

The senator framed the problem as a mix of federal rule changes and state-level budget choices that could raise local spending. She said recent SNAP (FoodShare) changes expand work requirements to more people and that Wisconsin could see roughly 44,000 additional people subject to requirements; the state estimate she cited for related costs was about $14,600,000. "We are going to have to spend a minimum of $11,400,000 to make sure it doesn't get worse," she said, adding, "That's $11,000,000 that Winnebago could use." (Sen. Kristen Dessler…