# House Bill to reduce SNAP Benefits **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 26, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-bill-to-reduce-snap-benefits/669741 "2013-09-26T17:46:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mrclose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@mrclose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrclose)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-bill-to-reduce-snap-benefits/669741/41 "2013-09-28T00:46:44Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Cite please. Where ya been? **$2M Michigan lottery winner defends use of food stamps** > [@](#): > > A Michigan man who won $2 million in a state lottery game continues to collect food stamps 11 months after striking it rich. > > And there’s nothing the state can do about it, at least for now. > > Leroy Fick, 59, of Auburn won $2 million in the state lottery TV show “Make Me Rich!” last June. But the state’s Department of Human Services determined he was still eligible for food stamps, Fick’s attorney, John Wilson of Midland, said Tuesday. > > Eligibility for food stamps is based on gross income and follows federal guidelines; lottery winnings are considered liquid assets and don’t count as income. As long as Fick’s gross income stays below the eligibility requirement for food stamps, he can receive them, even if he has a million dollars in the bank. > **[$2M Michigan lottery winner defends use of food stamps](https://www.yahoo.com/news/blogs/detriot/2m-michigan-lottery-winner-defends-food-stamps-172712202.html)** > > Ron French, Detroit News staff writer A Michigan man who won $2 million in a state lottery game continues to collect food stamps 11 months after striking it rich. And there's nothing the state can do about it, at least … Continue reading → ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-bill-to-reduce-snap-benefits/669741/42 "2013-09-28T00:57:40Z")
I have read (online and unsourced; I’d love to find a source) that every dollar of SNAP paid out leads to a lot more ($4-5?) community spending. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-bill-to-reduce-snap-benefits/669741/43 "2013-09-28T02:39:25Z")
> [@mrclose](#): > > Where ya been? Well, news to me - it’s certainly not that way in Indiana. I’d say maybe I should move to Michigan but I’m not a lottery winner and by doing so I’d lose my health insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Farin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@Farin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farin)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-bill-to-reduce-snap-benefits/669741/44 "2013-09-28T03:27:11Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Well, news to me - it’s certainly not that way in Indiana. I’d say maybe I should move to Michigan but I’m not a lottery winner and by doing so I’d lose my health insurance. It’s actually [worse](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/17/michigan-lottery-winners-welfare_n_3100733.html) than that. > [@](#): > > About 14 percent of lottery winners in Michigan were either receiving welfare benefits or living with welfare recipients, according to a report released this week by the state’s Department of Human Services. That’s approximately 3,500 lottery winners that are benefitting from welfare, the report found. Some of those jack pots are as low as $1,000 (which I would probably exclude…but I’m nice.) but it’s not counted as income. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-bill-to-reduce-snap-benefits/669741.md?page=2)