May 2 Oppose Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and Aging Services in Budget Reconciliation

May 2, 2025

The Honorable Congressman Jared Huffman
United States House of Representatives 
1527 Longworth House Office Building 
Washington, DC 20515

Re: Oppose Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and Aging Services in Budget Reconciliation Package

Dear Congressman Huffman, 

On behalf of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, we write to strongly oppose any federal budget reconciliation package that includes deep cuts to critical safety net programs, including Medicaid (Medi-Cal), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/CalFresh), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF/CalWORKs), In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), and programs funded by the Older Americans Act (OAA). These programs support thousands of your constituents in Marin County and form the foundation of our local health, human services, and aging infrastructure.

Marin County has more than 57,000 Medi-Cal enrollees, 9,000 CalFresh recipients, and 2,400 IHSS clients—more than half of whom are older adults. Marin’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) also serves approximately 5,000 older adults and caregivers each year. Cuts to these programs would cause immediate harm to low-income families, older adults, individuals with disabilities, and children who rely on these services to meet their basic needs.

Medi-Cal / Medicaid and IHSS

Proposals to reduce Medicaid spending by $880 billion over 10 years could devastate Medi-Cal, which supports 1 in 3 California residents—including 1 in 5 Marin residents. If enacted, these cuts would reduce access to care, jeopardize critical home-based services, and shift significant costs to already constrained state and local budgets. California’s 2024–25 budget relies on $98 billion in federal funds, accounting for 61% of total Medi-Cal spending. Reductions of this scale would threaten coverage for millions and lead to widespread provider disruption and loss of care for our most vulnerable residents.

IHSS, funded through Medi-Cal, is a lifeline for 2,400 recipients in Marin County—1,400 of whom are over 60. Services like bathing, grocery shopping, and medication management allow low-income older adults and disabled individuals to remain safely in their homes and communities. With 61% of all U.S. long-term care spending covered by Medicaid, cuts would mean fewer caregivers, fewer visits, and ultimately more preventable health crises.

SNAP / CalFresh

The proposed $230 billion cut to SNAP would threaten food security for nearly 10,000 Marin residents and 5 million Californians. SNAP is not only an effective anti-poverty tool but also a major economic engine for producers and retailers—delivering $12 billion in spending statewide at 28,800 retailers last year.

It is vital that the federal government maintain its partnership with the state and counties in funding this critical program, which primarily benefits families with children and individuals living below the federal poverty line. We oppose changes to SNAP that would reduce participation among eligible households, cut benefits, shift costs to the state, or impose costly and unnecessary administrative burdens on county agencies tasked with delivering the program.

TANF / CalWORKs

With 825,000 Californians currently relying on TANF—73% of them children—the program provides essential cash aid, job training, and child care to vulnerable families in Marin and across the state. A 10% cut to the federal TANF budget would force reductions in these services or require the state and counties to backfill the gap—just as California launches new performance-based pilots under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. Given that counties contribute significant funds toward the state’s Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirements, it is critical that the federal government continue to pay its full share of TANF expenditures.

Older Americans Act (OAA)

Following statewide trends, Marin’s older adult population is growing rapidly: one in three residents is now aged 60 or older, with an additional 5% increase projected over the next 10 years. OAA-funded services, administered by our AAA, provide case management, caregiver support, transportation, legal services, and congregate and home-delivered meals. These services are essential to supporting aging in place, preventing isolation, and reducing strain on emergency health systems.

We were encouraged by efforts in the 118th Congress to increase funding for OAA Title III B (Supportive Services), Title III E (Caregiver Support), and Title VI (Native American Aging Programs). However, we are deeply concerned by proposals in the same package to cut Title III C (Nutrition) and Title V (Senior Employment). Any reduction in funding would compromise our ability to meet the needs of Marin’s aging population and would result in unmet demand for meals, caregiver support, and case management.

Cascading Impacts to County Budgets

Marin County, like other counties across California, serves as the front-line administrator of these federally supported programs. Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, or OAA do not eliminate the need for essential services—they merely shift the burden downstream to counties. If we are required to maintain services with reduced federal support, the only options would be to cut other essential local priorities such as public safety, infrastructure, housing, homelessness, and other local services our residents rely on like parks and libraries.

For all these reasons, we ask you to continue your strong advocacy to protect these essential programs to preserve the well-being and stability of tens of thousands of Marin residents and millions of Californians. Thank you for your continued leadership and for standing up for the most vulnerable on the North Coast.

Sincerely, 

Mary Sackett, President
Marin County Board of Supervisors

CC:       Marin County Board of Supervisors
Senator Alex Padilla
Senator Adam Schiff