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🧵1/ The GOP’s latest scheme would force states to pay for a share of SNAP food benefits based on “payment error rates.” This would be catastrophic for states, including Maine. Here’s what you need to know. 👇

2/ First: “payment error rates” don’t mean fraud. They’re bureaucratic mistakes—like paperwork errors or miscalculations—not people gaming the system. But Republicans want to punish states for them anyway.

3/ Under their plan, if a state’s error rate is: ⬇️ Under 6% > no penalty 🔸 6–8% > 5% cost-share 🔸 8–10% > 10% cost-share 🔺 Over 10% > 15% cost-share And guess what? Maine’s error rate for FY24 came in at 10.26%—*just* over the line.

4/ That tiny 0.26% would cost Maine BIG. If this plan were in effect today, Maine would be hit with the maximum 15% cost share. That’s ~$100 million a year we’d have to come up with (or cut).

5/ And it’s not just Maine. Even the national average error rate is over 10%. This isn’t a “Maine problem”—it’s a systemic issue. Yet Republicans want states to foot the bill anyway.

7/ Things like new tech or additional staff would help lower these error rates, but this requires money and time that states won’t have now.

8/ That’s not all. The plan also jacks up the share Maine and other states would have to pay to administer SNAP—from 50% to 75%. That’s another $5 million burden for Maine. And we haven’t even mentioned the new federal work requirements.

9/ What does all this mean in real terms? - Schools could lose access to universal free meals - Farmers markets and small grocers would suffer - Families already struggling would fall through the cracks