Wolf allocating $145M for small businesses
Gov. Tom Wolf has set aside $145 million to assist small businesses across the commonwealth.
Wolf announced on Wednesday morning that he had transferred that amount from the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation fund to the general fund to help these smaller enterprises, which have been wracked by the coronavirus pandemic. During the media briefing, he referred specifically to restaurants and bars, which he recently shut down statewide for a second time because of the potential of virus spread.
Indoors, he added, is where “this insidious disease does its work.”
Wolf closed bars and restaurants for three weeks, allowing them to reopen for indoor dining at limited capacity on Jan. 4 – a date that he does not plan to change. Some of these locations, including several in Southwestern Pennsylvania, have remained open in defiance of his mandate, their owners outspoken and upset over lost revenue.
“This pandemic is not the fault of restaurant owners or bar owners or gym owners,” Wolf said, “but unfortunately, the virus dictates everything and that makes it hard for these businesses to operate.”
It is uncertain, however, when these funds will be distributed. The Republican-controlled General Assembly has to approve this action, and will not return to work until the first full week of January.
“We want to do this as quickly and efficiently as we can,” Wolf said. “We clearly need to get this money into businesses’ hands. This should not be a controversial issue.”
He said that, by law, money can be transferred from the workers’ comp fund, which requires a minimum of $500 million but had “plenty more. There is a surplus, and I think this is an appropriate way to use it.”
Considering the number of businesses that have been affected, the governor agreed with a reporter that $145 million “won’t go far enough.” He called the money a “downpayment” that could serve as a bridge for businesses until they receive funding from the $900 billion stimulus package, which is awaiting approval from President Donald Trump.
“We hope the $145 million tides businesses over until they can receive the federal money,” Wolf said.
Asked whether funding would be withheld from businesses operating in violation of his order, the governor said: “I hope the General Assembly will approve this for all businesses. Most businesses have been abiding by (the temporary shutdown mandate). I don’t really see this as an issue at this time.”
Wolf, who tested positive for the coronavirus two weeks ago before twice testing negative, said he is not yet scheduled for a vaccination. “I’m not going to butt in line,” he said, laughing.
Reminded that he is regarded as a “critical worker,” a higher-priority candidate for the vaccine that is now being distributed, the governor added, “I don’t consider myself to be that. I’m sure 13 million Pennsylvanians have an opinion on that.”
He views the vaccine as “the light at the end of the tunnel.”
“The difference between now and the spring is that we have a vaccine, and we have to make sure we get it as quickly and efficiently as we can. We know it’s coming, and we have to figure out how to survive for a few months until then.”