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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s governor and his Democratic allies in the Legislature on Wednesday laid out a proposal to spend federal pandemic relief money on workers, environmental programs and a one-time property tax subsidy for lower-income homeowners and renters.
The plan was announced less than a week before Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to present his 2022-23 state budget proposal to the Republican-majority General Assembly. Lawmakers would have to approve the spending for the plan to take effect.
The $1.7 billion Democratic proposal’s largest category is $500 million to help families pay for child care, household expenses and classes, training and licenses to obtain greater skills and boost their incomes.
Wolf and the Democrats also want to provide $225 million in small business grants of between $5,000 and $50,000.
The property tax relief would provide nearly a half-million lower-income homeowners and renters with an average of almost $500, a one-time addition to the existing property tax rent rebate program.
The state’s health care sector would get $325 million, much of it to help recruit and retain employees of long-term care facilities.
Wolf’s plan also would spend $40 million to expand county-based mental health programs and send $35 million to student loan forgiveness programs at the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.
The Growing Greener program, agricultural conservation and other efforts toward conservation, recreation, preservation and community revitalization would get a $450 million boost.