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Gov. Tom Wolf called on the Republican majorities in the House and Senate on Thursday to authorize $145 million recently made available from the workers compensation fund to create a program to help businesses damaged by COVID-19.
His administration shifted the money to the general fund three weeks ago, but the Republicans in charge of the General Assembly have done nothing about it, Wolf said in a virtual news conference with Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton.
"They need to step up and do their part," Wolf said.
His admonition drew Republican backlash, based on longtime opposition to many of the administration-imposed COVID-19 restrictions that have caused the economic damage, -- restrictions designed to stem the pace of coronavirus infections, which have caused more than 18,000 deaths in Pennsylvania.
"The overweening hubris of this governor is breathtaking," said state Rep. Lou Schmitt, R-Altoona. "Governor Wolf, for the better part of a year, has been kicking the workers and businesses of Pennsylvania in the teeth, and now he wants to blame Republicans for the dire economic state in this commonwealth that he himself has created?"
If his plan for an assistance program was "such a burning priority," the governor could have called the General Assembly back in session before the end of the year -- as only he had the power to do -- to act on it, Schmitt said.
But he didn't, probably because he was concerned that Republican-led lawmakers would have begun looking into the recent general election, which many have criticized as rife with problems, Schmitt said.
There has been no evidence presented to indicate that any of the election issues the Republicans have cited led to outcomes that would have shifted Pennsylvania's electoral votes from winner Joe Biden to incumbent Donald Trump.
Moreover, the governor is being willfully blind to the current need for the General Assembly to reorganize before it can begin taking action in the new session, Schmitt said.
"He's playing a game," Schmitt said of the governor. "It's disingenuous."
Republicans are ready to talk about helping businesses, according to a statement from the party's House caucus.
"Our doors are open, our phone lines are working and we await engagement from the governor on what ideas he can bring to the table," the caucus stated.
But the Republicans want to link the proposed aid to businesses with "long-term solutions that, among other things, ends the threat of these ridiculous (business) shutdowns," according to the caucus statement.
"In the meantime, House Republicans have prioritized economic recovery from a holistic level through the creation of the 'Envy of the East' Task Force announced earlier this week," the caucus stated.
That task force would generate ideas to "kick-start" the states' economy, according to a previous caucus news release.
The Democrats are thinking shorter-term.
Businesses need help now, especially small ones like restaurants, bars, barber shops and hair salons, said Wolf, McClinton and Costa.
Major federal funding is likely on the way, but some may have trouble hanging on much longer, they said.
The help could be widespread, according to the Democrats.
If divvied up in chunks of $5,000, the $145 million could help 29,000 businesses, McClinton said.
The proposed new program could be modeled on one last summer that provided $225 million through Community Development Financial Institutions, disbursing amounts to neighborhood businesses that often ranged from $18,000 to $25,000, Costa said.
When the General Assembly is "up and running again," helping such businesses needs to be a priority, Schmitt said.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.