By Kayla Hunt
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Gov. Larry Hogan wrote a letter to the Biden-Harris Transition team, urging them to prioritize issuing a new stimulus relief package for states and small businesses, according to a press release sent out on Monday.
“States are already fighting an uphill battle to rebuild our economies and maintain essential services in education, health care, emergency operations, and public safety,” Hogan wrote. “Without federal assistance, we could be forced to consider furloughs and job cuts, halts to construction, reductions in government services, and other measures that will cause an increase in unemployment and further delay the economic recovery.”
In October, Hogan drew $250 million from Maryland’s Rainy Day Fund to provide financial assistance for struggling businesses. Of those funds, $100 million was designated to create an “emergency rapid response fund” for small businesses.
“Every day that Congress has failed to deliver a new stimulus package, American families have suffered and small businesses have permanently closed their doors,” Hogan tweeted. “As lawmakers return to Washington, this critical relief must be their most urgent priority – no more excuses.”
In addition to a new stimulus relief package, Hogan is also advocating for a robust infrastructure package and to maintain historic funding for the Chesapeake Bay.
On Nov. 19, Hogan met with President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and members of the National Governors Association Executive Committee to discuss the ongoing fight with COVID-19.
According to the Maryland Department of Health, the state has 198,370 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 4,486 confirmed deaths as of Monday.