Pittsburgh Review

Rep. David Delloso, D-Delaware, and Sen. Tina Tartaglione, D-Philadelphia, are co-sponsoring legislation to provide direct payments of up to $2,000 to Pennsylvania residents struggling in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an Aug. 2 news release, the PA Opportunity Program would give checks to households making $80,000 or less a year.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a major toll on Pennsylvanians. It is time we step up to help Pennsylvanians now,” Delloso said in the release. “This program, which is expected to help at least 250,000 households across Pennsylvania, is needed now more than ever to help workers and families recover economically from the pandemic and assist them in affording childcare, education and training and basic household expenses.”

“I first proposed the PA Opportunity Program back in February, but Republican leaders in the General Assembly just wouldn’t get on board with funding it in this year’s budget,” Wolf said in the release. “However, as I’ve traveled the commonwealth, I’ve heard directly from so many people about how much this program would mean to them and their families. I’m not going to stop fighting until the people of Pennsylvania get the help they need and deserve.”

“In April, Governor Wolf and I announced a plan to put up to $2,000 back into the pockets of Pennsylvanians struggling with the burden of the record inflation America is currently experiencing,” Tartaglione said in the release. “The PA Opportunity Program, along with hundreds of other pieces of democrat-sponsored legislation like minimum wage reform would have an immediate and lasting impact on Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens. 

"To ensure a truly equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must ensure we are lifting from the bottom, not raising up the top," Tartaglione added, according to the release. "The majority party in the legislature has shown they are willing to pass pro-business legislation like lowering the Corporate Net Income Tax, now with just 10 scheduled session days remaining this year for the PA Senate, we still have the opportunity to pass meaningful legislation that will dramatically help our constituents like raising the minimum wage and passing the PA Opportunity Program.”