Tom Wolf, governor of Pennsylvania, has proposed \u201c$1.7 billion plan to help Pennsylvania fully recover from the pandemic and pave the way for a successful future\u201d next February. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part of the proposal includes $500 million for the PA Opportunity Program which could send households in the Keystone State with an income of $80,000 or less to a direct payment for up to $2,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Legislation has been introduced in both the Senate and White House by Democratic lawmakers but the \u201cRepublican-led General Assembly has been slow to act,\u201d on his plan or provide one of their own to use federal stimulus funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The state is sitting on $2 billion in federal ARPA funds that must be used by 31 December 2024 or it gets sent back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier this month, Gov. Wolf was joined by Representative Patty Kim in Harrisburg to call on GOP state lawmakers to pass the PA Opportunity Program to help Pennsylvanians burdened by rising prices. \u201cA lot has changed since then, from inflation to price increases to a war in Ukraine. Pennsylvanians need our support even more today than they did in February,\u201d Gov. Wolf\u00a0said<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The governor has touted his plan as a way to help workers and families still reeling from financial hardship caused by the pandemic. The direct payments would boost household income for many who are \u201cstill covering pandemic-related costs, stabilizing their budgets, and rebuilding their savings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n