As a result of the pandemic’s effects on the economy, Pennsylvania has taken steps to help its people with money through stimulus checks. The goal of these stimulus payouts is to help people and families with their finances and give them much-needed help during these hard times.
The government of Pennsylvania has set up a number of programs to help people who have lost their jobs, had their incomes cut, or are going through other hard times financially.
These direct payments are meant to put money into the local economy, help people pay for basic needs, and help the economy heal across the state. Let’s get into the details of what Pennsylvania is doing with its aid checks and what they mean for the community.
Pennsylvania Stimulus Checks
Pennsylvania lawmakers came up with a plan to invest billions in housing, environmental protection, and public health about a year ago. A Spotlight PA investigation reveals that the state has since been successful in getting millions of dollars to nursing homes, daycare centers, and other organizations.
Just getting started are grant programs with a focus on the environment and violence prevention. The American Rescue Plan Act provided $7.3 billion for state and local pandemic relief in Pennsylvania.
The funds had a deadline for allocation and use in 2024 and 2026, respectively. Any money that hasn’t been spent by then will be given back to the federal government.
According to data provided to the federal government, the state had spent roughly $5.6 billion in COVID-19 stimulus money as of March. About $4.6 billion of the total, or the vast majority, was utilized to make up for lost revenue, with much of it going to the state’s general fund.
State officials included information on the amount spent on roughly 30 new projects in a report the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget submitted to the U.S. Treasury earlier this year.
Grants for nursing homes, hospitals, and other public health services are among the programs that have already distributed all or the majority of their cash. Other people, though, have taken longer to distribute their federal funds.
These cover a wide range, from grants for acid mine drainage to nurse student loan assistance. The state legislature allocated how the entire $7.3 billion should be spent in general but did not designate a specific use for all of the funds.
Here you can also check our recent articles:
- Snoop Dogg’s Hollywood Bowl Show Canceled Due to Writers and Actors Strike
- Who is Rah Ali? The TV Star and Business Titan Shaping the Industry!
For instance, during budget deliberations last year, the state House agreed to spend $100 million on mental health services, but only passed earlier this month spending guidelines, so the money is not included in the March report to the U.S. Treasury.
Additionally, the $412 million that the state legislature allocated to the governor’s office for discretionary pandemic relief is not broken down in the Office of Budget’s report to the U.S. Treasury.
According to an open records request made by Spotlight PA, as of March 2023, all but $2 million had been spent on state employee incentives, nurse student loan relief, and hundreds of gifts to hospitals, cultural institutions, local governments, and nonprofits. The current status of Pennsylvania’s stimulus funding is as follows:
Revenue Replacement
The state legislature decided to devote more than half of the total $7.3 billion to revenue replacement when it first received the federal funds in 2021. State authorities stated in the statement sent to the U.S. Treasury that $4.6 billion was used “to counteract revenue loss within the General Fund and to aid the provision of government services.”
As part of the 2022 budget, a spending plan for the remaining $2.7 billion was established. According to Philip Rocco, a professor of political science at Marquette University who has examined how local governments around the country have utilized ARPA funds, using stimulus money to make up for lost revenue.
The government of Pennsylvania has set up a number of programs to help people who have lost their jobs, had their incomes cut, or are going through other hard times financially.
These direct payments are meant to put money into the local economy, help people pay for basic needs, and help the economy heal across the state. Let’s get into the details of what Pennsylvania is doing with its aid checks and what they mean for the community.
