Stimulus checks for Pennsylvanians: Gov. Wolf, Pa. Democrats continue push for $2,000 payments

Gov. Tom Wolf and the state’s Democrats are still pushing for his stalled proposal to get $2,000 payments to most Pennsylvanians.

Though, Republicans argue it’ll worsen inflation, which stands at 9.1% — highest it’s been in four decades, as The Morning Call reported.

Both, Rep. David Delloso of Delaware and Philadelphia Sen. Christine Tartaglione plan to file bills, which will back the “PA Opportunity Program” featuring the $2,000 payments.

Wolf first made $1.7 billion proposal in February. Part of the proposal were the $2,000 checks to Pennsylvanians making $80,000 or less.

According to The Morning Call, Wolf recently said he’s still hearing “directly from so many people about how much this program would mean to them and their families.”

Delloso and Tartaglione agree with Wolf, arguing families need the funds due to the financial woes the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation have caused.

“Friends and neighbors are still struggling to stabilize budgets and rebuild savings,” Tartaglione said in a statement. “The pandemic also led many workers to rethink career goals and consider new jobs that foster better work-life balance.”

House Republicans spokesman Jason Gottesman agrees with his Republican-led General Assembly, inflation will worsen with more stimulus checks.

“It was Gov. Wolf who abandoned this idea during budget negotiations to achieve other priorities, and he, like us, knows it rightly belongs on the cutting room floor since it will only lead to increased costs on Pennsylvanians by continuing to drive inflation,” He recently said.

Though, in a memo, Tartaglione confirmed the proposal will be different. Instead of federal-level relief funds, it’ll come from the state’s general funds.

“Individuals with a household income of $80,000 or less can apply for a one-time, state tax-exempt payment up to $2,000 per household,” Tartaglione wrote in the memo.

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