Food Stamp Users Could Be Reinstated

Ventura County residents who recently had their food stamp benefits cut off could be reinstated in the welfare program if the federal government agrees to extend benefits as Gov. Pete Wilson has proposed, officials said Thursday.

To comply with new federal legislation, the county’s Public Social Services Agency in February cut from the food stamp rolls 240 childless, able-bodied adults who had failed to find jobs in the prior three months. The average benefit check was $120 a month.

But Wilson agreed Wednesday to ask the federal government for a six-month extension of the stamp program for single adults to give all counties more time to get them into jobs and return-to-work programs. Wilson had initially agreed to exempt only 26 counties that had high unemployment.

The federal Department of Agriculture, which administers the food stamp program, must approve Wilson’s request to expand the waiver before former beneficiaries can be reenrolled, said Helen Reburn, deputy director of Ventura County’s social services agency.

“Until the state gets approval from the federal government, we legally cannot reinstate them,� Reburn said.

Still, Reburn said, welfare officials around the state are confident that the federal government will approve Wilson’s request. If approved, food stamp benefits for single, able-bodied adults would be extended until Aug. 31.