June 17, 2022 / 10:00 AM Tom Wolf is proposing using federal stimulus money to send families in Pennsylvania $2,000 checks, but economists aren't sure that's the best plan. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Wolf unveiled a $1.7 billion proposal for Pennsylvania's $2 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA ) dollars. If signed into law, the act, which is meant to help Americans combat high gas prices, would provide energy rebate payments of $100 per month to eligible taxpayers across the nation and an additional $100 per dependent. / CBS Philadelphia. MORE LOCAL NEWS >> Pittsburgh Pride events to be more inclusive than ever. "I'm talking about $2 billion that's sitting in a checking account out in Harrisburg that if we don't use it by the end of 2024, we have to send it back to Washington. There are currently six states offering stimulus money to residents: California, Delaware, Maine, Indiana, Illinois, and Colorado -- but not all residents will qualify for this extra cash payment. WEST VIEW, Pa. (KDKA) - Gov. WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyones stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. The money would come from excess American Rescue Plan funds. Pa. House control will likely be decided by special elections this week. Our finances are in better shape than ever. Billy Joel & Stevie Nicks floor seat tickets, File photo: Pennsylvania Gov. The plan would apply to households earning. And if at first you dont succeed, try, try again.. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Governor Wolf is renewing his push and asking the legislature, which doesn't return to session until mid to the end of September to pass a bill that would make direct payments to all Pennsylvanians. We have the fundsand Pennsylvanians need the help. So far, the plan has had no support from Republicans in Harrisburg. While Pa. Republicans continue to push the inflation narrative as the main reason theyve turned down his proposal, Wolf claims the relief costs are small enough to not drive inflation further. The governor is proposing to use the state's COVID-19 relief money to send $2,000 checks to households that earn $80,000 or less a year. With continued inaction by the legislature, the money will be sent back to the federal government by Dec. 31, 2024. Our experts love this top pick,which featuresa0% intro APRuntil 2024, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee. Published on May 5, 2022. Tom Wolf was joined by Rep. Patty Kim, D-103rd, at Wesley Union A.M.E. Zion Church in Harrisburg to call on Pennsylvanias Republican-led General Assembly to act to support Pennsylvanians by passing legislation for the American Rescue Plan Act-funded $500 million PA Opportunity Program, which would send checks of up to $2,000 to millions of Pennsylvanians. If you're wondering whether your state is on the list and whether or not you will qualify, here's what each one is offering, when payments are expected to be made, and who is eligible to receive these extra financial benefits. Here are six states offering more stimulus money to their residents. var td_ad_background_click_link=""; Heres what you need to know. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. How Much Does Home Ownership Really Cost? Earlier in 2022, Wolf began to push a 1.7 billion PA Opportunity Plan including $2,000 stimulus checks to go out to most Pennsylvanians, but his plan failed. Thats one part of a larger effort, she said, that has cut poverty from 30% to 23% in Sharpsburg. HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Gov. Copyright 2018 - 2023 The Ascent. Specifically, households earning $50,000 or less would receive a one-time payment of $2,000. var tds_theme_color_site_wide="#4db2ec"; / CBS Pittsburgh. One difference this time, Wolf said, is that Republicans argued previously that it wasnt the states prerogative to give out federal COVID-relief funds. Tom Wolf said state officials are still working to determine how Pennsylvanians will benefit from a $2 trillion stimulus package that President Donald Trump signed into law on Friday.. State officials believe that the stimulus bill, which is the largest relief package in modern American . Shapiros announcement, other states announced they would be taking action to eliminate college degree requirements for state jobs. var tds_more_articles_on_post_pages_distance_from_top="0"; In late April, the governor of Maine signed into law a stimulus package that will provide $850 one-time stimulus payments to residents in the state. "; Ive heard from so many of you about how much this would mean to you and your families. In Pennsylvania, unlike all our neighboring states, the minimum wage has not budged since 2009. Sen. Devlin Robinson, a Bridgeville Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said his colleagues think there are better ways to spend the money, like funding bridge work on I-79 instead of tolling the interstate. Rep. Sara Innamorato argued that the increase in inflation was the very reason that these $2,000 payments were needed. NN Gov't Lets put this cash back in the pockets of Pennsylvanians, to help cover the higher costs of gas, groceries, and everything else.. The governor says this is money from the American Rescue Plan, and he proposes giving some of that money back to the taxpayers. But some economists argued that it could prove temporary because of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. var td_get_template_directory_uri="https://www.paproviders.org/wp-content/themes/Newspaper"; But now, Wolf said, there is more than enough money in the states own coffers to fund the $500 million program for more than 250,000 state residents. While Gov. We are looking at a scenario where Pennsylvanias working poor - those people working 40 or more hours a week - will still be struggling just to survive. .wpb_animate_when_almost_visible { opacity: 1; }. Then she got involved in a program called Roots of Faith in Sharpsburg, a Methodist organization that she said helped her get out of debt and get job training. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Checks will be issued to Delaware residents whose tax information is on file starting this month, and two more rounds of payments will follow. Inflation in the U.S. reached a 9.1% peak in June, making it the highest rate in 40 years. But without support from the Republicans who control the General Assembly, there won't be a state stimulus check. Gov. About 3.1 million Colorado residents will be eligible to receive this tax rebate. The need comes at a critical junction when PA is dealing with both the effects of this pandemic on its citizens and getting communities back on their feet. And she became confined to her wheelchair and couldnt work. Heres why: The money wouldve come from federal funds, it was free money just send it out, and (Republicans) did not want to do that. If the legislature were to take action to increase Pennsylvanias minimum wage, more than 618,400 women would get a direct pay increase - nearly 21 percent of all women working in the commonwealth. Wolf in supporting the PA Opportunity Plan and a minimum wage increase, which not only supports a living wage in PA but also supports workers and households earning less than $80,000 a year - the people most affected by this changing economy and the lasting effects of the pandemic.. Households. "; The Pa. House is getting ready to consider critical chamber rules. The MIT Living Wage calculator shows in 2022, a single adult in Pennsylvania needs to earn $16.93 per hour to support themselves. Early filers should wait until later in the 2023 tax season to file returns: Heres why, 9 million borrowers mistakenly told they were approved for student loan forgiveness, Heres where Pa. cities rank among the grinchiest in the country, Want to see Taylor Swift in Pa.? If the program was ever passed, theres expected to be 250,000 applicants, resulting in $500 million, Newsweek reported. The Ascent is a Motley Fool service that rates and reviews essential products for your everyday money matters. The $500 million cost of the program is such a small fraction of the states more than $700 billion economy, Wolf said, that he didnt think this new program would cause any additional inflation. Pittsburgh, PA Today, Governor Josh Shapiro toured Astrobotic Technology, a state-of-the-art aerospace and robotics company in Pittsburgh, to highlight Pennsylvanias growing innovation economy and his commitment to creating jobs and spurring [], Following Gov. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? Together we can reach 100% of WHYYs fiscal year goal. Under Wolf's plan, households with incomes of $80,000 or less would receive up to $2,000. All Rights Reserved. new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); The stimulus payments would use $500 million in ARPA funds as a part of Governor Wolf's PA Opportunity Program. Almost all essential costs have risen across the board in Pennsylvania, except for the cost of labor. Alaska: $3,200 Payments. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Williams said a program from the state of Pennsylvania, the PA Opportunity Program, would help her get above water. All rights reserved. Indiana residents will also be eligible for extra stimulus money via a tax rebate. June 1, 2022 / 1:51 PM Pa. lawmakers are set to get huge raises next year. There are currently six different states that are offering direct stimulus payments to residents who qualify. In a letter to President Donald Trump, Governor Wolf outlined the urgency for the President to immediately restart negotiations with Congress around a new stimulus package that would help fund the 300 Regional Response Healthcare Collaborative Program (RRHCP), and hundreds of members of the PA National Guard who are . Gov. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com. Payment amounts could range from $125 to $850 or more, depending on the state. Gov. Wolfs plan proposes raising Pennsylvanias minimum wage to $12 per hour by July 1 with a pathway to $15 per hour by 2028. Any person who filed taxes in the state of Indiana before Jan. 3 of this year will be eligible for the one-time payment. Pennsylvania House Speaker Mark Rozzi (D., Berks) says he will introduce chamber rules this week that would give Republicans more power to set the legislative agenda. Joint filers are eligible to receive up to $1,700 from the program. In order to qualify, you'll need to be a full-time resident of Maine and have an income of less than $100,000 for single filers or $200,000 for joint filers. In Wolfs proposed PA Opportunity Program, $500 million in ARPA dollars would provide direct payments of up to $2,000 for Pennsylvania households with an income of $80,000 or less. PA needs to act. This scenario all but guarantees severe and crippling economic hardships in Pennsylvania for people earning the lowest income. Its how we live. var td_ajax_url="https://www.paproviders.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php"; var td_email_incorrect="Email incorrect! We had plenty its not like we had to raise anybodys taxes, Wolf told ABC27s Dennis Owens. this.header_color = ''; var tds_more_articles_on_post_enable=""; These payments will be worth up to $400. Nevertheless, the governor continues the push for inflationary relief, as Pennsylvanians face inflation at the gas pump and in grocery stores. 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