Gov. Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania has renewed calls to issue a $2,000 stimulus payment for the residents since the state still has unspent COVID-19 relief funding from the federal government.
In a statement on the Pennsylvania governor's official site, Wolf urged the Congress' General Assembly to act on the legislation, dubbed the PA Opportunity Program, that will provide the cash boost. He said that the one-time stimulus payment will be of great help to his constituents who need to get back on their feet after COVID-19 and amid the rising prices of basic goods and gas.
"While we've made tremendous strides against COVID-19 from both a public health and economic perspective, many folks are still grappling with the aftermath of a once in a generation pandemic," Wolf said. He also insisted that his government will support long-term solutions to help the working class, such as raising the minimum wage.
Who's Getting a $2,000 Stimulus Check?
Pennsylvania families with a yearly earning of $80,000 or less will be prioritized in this rollout. The Pennsylvania Treasury will send the direct payments to taxpayers if the proposal gets approval in Congress.
State Rep. Maureen Madden expressed support for Wolf's stimulus payment proposal to help Pennsylvania locals thrive despite the economic hardships. Per a report from Value Walk, Madden said that while the state's economy is slowly recovering two years post-pandemic, the world is still facing inflation that could hamper the recovery of the working class.
Pennsylvania has $2.2 billion in federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act that should be spent by 2024 lest it reverts to the federal government. Wolf said that while $500 million will be spent for the one-time stimulus payment, $225 million could assist small businesses still recovering from the lockdowns. The rest of the funds could also be used to improve Pennsylvania's healthcare system, provide property tax relief for the taxpayers, and conservation efforts and revitalization projects.
PA STIMULUS CHECKS — Gov. Tom Wolf wants to give Pennsylvania families recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic direct payments of up to $2,000. The money would come from $500 million the state received as a part of the American Rescue Plan Act. We’re live this morning on @WTAE! pic.twitter.com/9b1S8upf9B
— Kylie Walker (@KylieKOCO) April 15, 2022
Wolf, however, wants the stimulus check prioritized so families can mitigate the cost of food and gas. The proposal has received bipartisan support with some lawmakers agreeing with the governor that the federal fund should go back to people's pockets.
However, some lawmakers also believe that the unspent $2.2 billion should go to infrastructure projects than COVID-19 relief packages. Sen. Devlin Robinson said that the state needs a lot of bridges and roads fixed.
Other States Sending Stimulus Payment
Meanwhile, while Pennsylvania waits for the green light, Maine will distribute a direct stimulus payment of $850 this June. States like California, Kentucky, Virginia, Hawaii, Indiana, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, New Mexico, New York and Georgia are still deliberating on the stimulus checks or tax refunds.
A push for another round of stimulus checks from the federal funds in the amount of $100 every month until the rest of 2022, has been stalled in Congress' Ways and Means Committee, according to Newsweek. It's still unclear if the proposal, also known as The Gas Rebate Act, will even be brought up for voting when the General Assembly reconvenes.
