Gov. Tom Wolf traveled to Western Pennsylvania on Thursday to announce prospective new help for bars, restaurants and hotels financially affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Wolf joined Democratic state representatives and partners at the 60-year-old LeMont restaurant on Mount Washington to make the announcement that, pending approval by the state Liquor Control Board, all licensing fees paid by the hard-hit hospitality industry will be waived for one year.

The move, Wolf said, will save the business owners a total of $20 million statewide over the next year.

With licensing fees waived, Wolf said, bar, restaurant and hotel owners can use their capital to continue to operate their businesses during the pandemic, he said.

Wolf expects the board to vote on the measure at its upcoming board meeting.

“The restaurant industry needs concrete help, not smoke and mirrors,” Wolf said, “and that's what this is.”

Wolf said he understands the hospitality industry suffered greatly as a result of protocols put into place in March to prevent the spread of the virus and that many of those business owners were angry.

“We're all in uncharted waters and trying to keep Pennsylvanians safe,” Wolf said. “In any democracy, when there is an emergency, we need someone to stand up and act for the citizens that have elected him or her to office.”

He said capacity limits for the hospitality industry have been relaxed, and restaurants and other large venues now use a formula to determine how many people are permitted inside and outside as opposed to a flat number for indoor and outdoor capacity.

“When people gather, that virus really likes it,” Wolf said. “I hate that, but there's not a lot I can do about it.”

He said gatherings are capped at 1,500 people inside a large venue and 7,500 people outside.

“It's harsh, but unfortunately, the reality is that the virus exists out there,” Wolf said.

Bonnie Rakarich, co-owner of the Monroe Hotel in Butler, said waiving liquor licensing fees will save her an amount that equals “a drop in the bucket.”

She explained that a liquor license must be renewed once per year, which she paid to do in June.

Rakarich also pays a hotel fee, amusement fee and a fee to sell alcohol on Sundays.

“I pay at least $1,800 per year in fees,” she said.

Regarding Wolf's claim that waiving liquor licensing fees will save $20 million for Pennsylvania's 16,000 liquor license holders, Rakarich said that means a $1,250 savings per license.

“It's nothing, and the expenses just keep coming,” she said.

Because they could not properly arrange socially distanced tables, the Monroe Hotel's owners decided against registering with the state to raise capacity from 25% to 50%.

“I know a lot of people who didn't do it for the same reasoning,” Rakarich said.

She said the restaurant has been kept afloat through takeout meals, and it is filled to 25% capacity on weekends.

“We still have our loyal customers, and we thank everyone for patronizing our place,” Rakarich said.

During the announcement, Wolf also said he hopes to have bipartisan support in allocating the remaining $1.3 billion remaining in the state's Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) funds.

The funds must be allocated before Dec. 31, Wolf said.

Regarding the status of COVID-19 across the state, Wolf said Pennsylvania is making positive strides.

He said while there were 3,000 people in the hospital fighting the virus in March, there are 900 COVID-19 patients in Pennsylvania today.

At one point, just 400 people were hospitalized with the virus before a statewide spike recently began, Wolf said.

In March, tests numbered in the hundreds, while 37,000 to 38,000 tests can now be administered in one day.

The state has also piled up personal protection equipment and ventilators since March, so the best treatment will be available in medical facilities across the state, Wolf said.

He said as of Wednesday, 98 people statewide were on ventilators, while 6,000 ventilators are available in Pennsylvania.

“We have capacity that we didn't have before,” Wolf said. “That's because of the targeted (restrictions) we have been doing, and restaurants have been hard hit.”