A2040 passed the Assembly by a convincing 68-4 margin on Thursday, Save Jerseyans. The bill would permit SNAP program participants to use their benefits to pay for online grocery delivery fees.
One of the four lonely dissenters – Brian Bergen (R-Morris) – pointed out that 30% of an individual’s grocery budget could be zapped up by fees. By way of example, it could cost as much as $15 to deliver a $4.48 carton of strawberries from a Garden State ShopRite location.
“We want them to spend the money on food,” Bergen told the chamber. “The people on SNAP benefits get so little money. A family of four in the state of New Jersey could get as little as $684 to help them pay for food. Ordering online groceries could be 15% more expensive for the groceries themselves plus the addition of the fee for delivery.”
Bergen argued that charities were better candidates to tackle delivery costs.
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