Anthony Gallegos: Why doesn’t Merced County ever get grant money?
Fresno County will receive $12.2 million in grant money to assist SNAP recipients in securing education and vocational skills training, in demand occupations, that will lead to self sufficiency.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Labor Secretary Tom Perez were instrumental in securing a total of $200 million for 10 states. Rep. Jim Costa assisted in securing the $12.2 million for Fresno County Department of Social Services as a pilot project to assist food stamp recipients receive the education and training needed to become employed.
My question to the Merced County Board of Supervisors and the Workforce Investment Board: Why does Merced County continue to be left off these grants? Just last year, Fresno County and adjacent counties to the North and South of Merced County were awarded millions in grants to provide skills training required for the thousands of jobs that will be available to build the high speed rail. Merced County got zero dollars.
My suggestion to the BOS and the WIB: contact Representative Jim Costa for help. Couldn’t we even coattail off the Fresno County grant?
Anthony Gallegos, Merced
This story was originally published April 6, 2015 at 11:55 AM with the headline "Anthony Gallegos: Why doesn’t Merced County ever get grant money?."