New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has dismissed what the stimulus package means for New York, calling it a drop in the ocean. Out of $2 from the coronavirus stimulus bill, New York’s share is only $3.8 billion where only $1.3 billion will be sent to the state.
After the Senate passed a $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, New York is set to receive only $3.8 billion, where only $1.3 billion will be sent to the state. The state with an estimated population of almost 20 million had anticipated receiving $15 billion to offset the strains by the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, Governor Andrew Cuomo has called it a drop in the ocean, with respect to the situation on the ground.
As of March 25, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention the total number of confirmed cases was 52,453, where half of them are from New York. With the high population, Cuomo said the bill would be very terrible for the state of New York. He added that it may sound like a lot of money, but it’s far below the revenue that the state had projected.
To make matters worse, Cuomo’s spokeswoman Dani Lever said that there are chances New York will receive even much less than what the governor outlined. According to her, New York was to get approximately $3.1 billion. She added:
“As a percent of our total state budget- 1.9%, it’s the second-lowest amount in the nation.”
She cited the gross political manipulation as the obvious thing behind New York’s tribulations.
She noted:
“Compounding this inequity is the fact that New York State contributes more to the federal government than any other state in the nation. It is just another case of politics over sound policy.”
Cuomo, however, said that the House Speaker’s plan would have been a big savior for New York, as the House bill would have allotted $17 billion to the state.
New York amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Due to the high rate of population in New York City, the novel coronavirus has been spreading very fast. This has resulted in the state leadership to take drastic precautionary measures to prevent further spread of the virus, which has so far killed over 700 people in the nation.
On March 24, Cuomo announced the distribution of medical equipment and supplies to hospitals across the state. This included 339,760 N-95 masks, 861,700 surgical masks, 353,300 gloves, 197,085 face shields and 145,122 gowns in total.
In addition, the governor also announced 40,000 health workers who have signed up to volunteer as part of the state’s Surge Healthcare Force. Besides, the governor has today announced he will be signing the ‘New York State on PAUSE’ executive order, to ensure safety for everyone.
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