By Gina Plata-Nino, JD, Deputy Director of SNAP, and Joseph M. Petty, Mayor of the City of Worcester, Massachusetts
This article is part of a series examining the sweeping and often overlooked consequences of proposed SNAP cuts. Beyond the headlines, these reductions threaten to destabilize families, shutter small businesses, and strain local governments already operating under tight budgets. In this installment, Gina Plata-Nino, JD, Deputy Director of SNAP at FRAC, interviews Joseph M. Petty, Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts. Mayor Petty shares how SNAP cuts would hit cities hard—disrupting local economies, increasing demand on overwhelmed food pantries, and undermining the ability of municipalities to meet residents’ basic needs. Their conversation underscores the critical role of SNAP in sustaining resilient, thriving communities.