New York Labor Leaders Appeal for Federal COVID Funds
New York labor leaders and Governor Andrew Cuomo are calling on Congress to provide $59 billion to address the huge hits to budgets, jobs and livelihoods as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The group has sent a letter to federal representatives appealing for support for critical infrastructure projects, schools, hospitals and institutions facing catastrophic fiscal shortfalls this year and next.
Officials say New York State requires $30 billion for the current fiscal year and next to avoid massive disruption. Local governments outside of New York City require four-point-five billion dollars to get by.
In addition to the public sector, the officials say private businesses have seen lost revenues and tens of thousands of jobs have been lost.
A big part of the appeal is another call for the repeal of the State and Local Tax (SALT) reform that took away the ability of residents to deduct their local taxes on their federal income filings. Governor Cuomo and others have said the SALT reform has cost New Yorkers "as much as an additional $15 billion each year."
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