Federal COVID relief funds should go directly to New Jersey residents
Remember how bad we had with COVID? Schools, closed. Businesses, closed. Over
33,000 New Jerseyans, dead.
And while we’re certainly not out of the woods yet, we have at least made it to a clearing. Between vaccinations and prior infection, it certainly seems like we’ve beaten back the worst of the disease. I say that hopefully, as who the hell knows what comes next.
But in the meantime, we’re basically OK enough.
Which makes me wonder: Just what in the world is Gov. Phil Murphy doing sitting on over $3 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds? We got over $6 million from the feds a year ago, and we barely spent half of it.
Actually, we’ve barely spent (literally) 2% of it, according to a report from Advance Media. Murphy and state lawmakers have allocated over $3.1 billion, but only $190 million of it has been spent. Nearly $800 million was earmarked for eviction protection, $700 million for special education, and $500 million for level 1 trauma centers.
Spend the freaking money already!
But, again, there’s still some $3 billion just sitting there, collecting dust. (There’s also a dust-up between Murphy and the legislature as to who gets to decide what to do with the rest of the cash, but politicians gonna politicate, amirite?)
And according to the same report, New Jersey — just like all the states — can spend the money in one of four ways: Building out water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure, higher pay for essential workers, replacing lost tax revenue, or responding to the negative economic impacts as a result of the virus.
Let’s go through each one, shall we?
1) Water, sewer, broadband: I mean sure, but … nope.
2) Higher pay for essential workers: I mean sure but … at this point, we’re beyond essential workers putting their lives on the line for us. And besides — the definition of “essential” certainly changed during the height of the pandemic. Sure, doctors and nurses remained “essential,” but so did supermarket employees, gas station attendants, and the dude making my Gobbler bowl at Wawa.
3) Replacing lost tax revenue: Hell to the no, as our tax revenue soared during the pandemic. We are operating with a surplus here in New Jersey. So nope. Which brings us, lastly, to …
4) Responding to the negative economic impacts:
Well this one is pretty broad, wouldn’t you say? Anywhere there has been a negative economic impact, the governor can sprinkle cash.
And being that A) he’s barely managed to spend the money already allocated and B) there’s still some $3 billion still
sitting around, allow me to present the latest in a long line of Edelstein Modest Proposals: Send me the money.
As in, me, and you, and you, and everyone. Comes out to about $333 for every man, woman, and child in New Jersey. We’ve all be touched by COVID in one way or another, the sum total of zero of us trust Murphy with the money, and so … cut us a check, gov.
Heck, we can even put a line on it, so households making over a certain threshold won’t
be participating — what’s reasonable, household income over $150,000? — and we can probably bring it to $400 per person, and who’s saying no to that?
Direct support for the negative economic impact. This is about as easy as it gets. Write the check. Put the money back in our pockets. This should not be so difficult.