Federal officials Ask State To Postpone Rollout Of Food Stamp Computer System

Given everything that we’ve heard about horrors in food stamp application processing lately, this should come as no surprise:

Federal officials, alarmed that a Texas computer system has been tardy in processing more than half the food stamp applications it was assigned in December, have asked the state to postpone rollout of the system to more of the state.

“We are not convinced that a continued rollout of [the system] is warranted,” William Ludwig, Dallas regional administrator of the U.S. Food and Nutrition Service, wrote the state last week.

Mr. Ludwig said his agency wants the state to undertake “strong measures to improve timeliness and ensure customer service, including call center performance.”

Spokeswoman Stephanie Goodman of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission said Monday that the state is trying to hire and retain more employees in its Office of Eligibility Services, which operates more than 300 field offices and assists four privately run call centers.

Ms. Goodman said the commission also will train more of its workers to use a Web-based computer system to sign up poor Texans for social programs. State officials say the system is still the best hope for the future, despite complaints that it is cumbersome to use.

Difficult to use and the best hope for the future! Sounds like an e-Slate voting machine.