Gov. Tom Wolf said would put the state’s remaining $1.7 billion in federal pandemic funds into the hands of those who need it and not into the budget.

Gov. Tom Wolf joined Cabinet members, legislators and a single mother who is a student Wednesday for a news conference to outline his proposal that he said would put the state’s remaining $1.7 billion in federal pandemic funds into the hands of those who need it and not into the budget, as touted by Republicans.

Wolf, via livestream, said that in his plan $500 million would go to workers and families facing child care, household, education and training barriers.

Small businesses would receive $225 million for those affected by the pandemic. Eligible businesses would receive from $5,000 to $50,000 each, depending on need.

The Property Tax Rent Rebate program would receive $204 million to give one-time payments to current program users. An estimated 466,000 residents would receive an additional average rebate of $475.

Health care providers would receive $325 million to recruit and retain a skilled workforce, with funds dedicated to long-term care, behavioral health and student loan forgiveness.

Because Pennsylvania’s state parks were so heavily used during the pandemic, Wolf said a $450 million investment would be made in conservation, recreation and preservation in his plan.

“My plan will not only help Pennsylvanians recover and rebuild financial security for themselves and their families, but it will improve the quality of life for Pennsylvanians for generations to come,” Wolf said. “I urge the Legislature to act now. Pennsylvanians can’t afford to wait.”

Wolf and other legislators who spoke at the news conference said Republicans have not come up with a plan for the $1.7 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds, which they found unacceptable as some residents, businesses and industries continue to suffer from the impacts of the pandemic.

He urged legislators on both sides of the aisle to vote to approve the plan.

“While Pennsylvanians are still bruised and trying to recover from the pandemic, we cannot sit on billions of dollars in federal aid that could heal Pennsylvania,” Wolf said. “It’s wrong to hold this money back from helping people.”

Republican response

State House Republican leaders immediately responded to Wolf’s plan in a news release issued minutes after the conclusion of Wolf’s presentation.

The release, from House Speaker Bryan Cutler, Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff and Chairman Stan Saylor, accused Democrats of a tax-and-spend approach to budgeting the past two years.

The release said Republicans have been the line of defense against “fiscal policies that would squander taxpayer resources at the expense of national Democratic talking points and take more hard-earned money from the pockets of Pennsylvania’s families.”

The release accused Wolf and state Democrats of instituting tax increases and making proposals that will increase home heating costs, and added that economic difficulties seen in other states that were brought on by “federal Democratic leadership” were only avoided in Pennsylvania “because Republican leadership has kept this administration in check.”

“The proposals by the governor and Democratic leaders were developed in a fiscal fantasy land where concern for future fiscal years apparently doesn’t exist,” the release said. “Of course, this can be expected from a lame duck governor in his final year.”