By Mackenzie Burn
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Republican Gov. Larry Hogan announced Wednesday that he and Democratic leaders of the state legislature have reached a bipartisan agreement on how to spend $3.9 billion the state of Maryland expects to receive from the federal government.
Hogan said the funds from the federal American Rescue Plan, which President Biden signed into law to provide states with relief from the economic fallout of COVID-19, will be allocated in a way that brings relief to Maryland residents most in need.
The largest amount of money will be $1.1 billion for the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. He said $800 million will be added to the Maryland Economic Relief program to “provide for additional relief and economic stimulus to Marylanders in need.” And, he said another $600 million will go towards the safe reopening of schools, fund that will be “addressing pandemic related education costs, including the long-term impacts of learning loss,” and “to fund additional improvements to HVAC ventilation and filtration systems for safer school buildings.”
“With today’s announcement, Maryland has once again shown the nation that people from different parties can still come together, that we can put the people’s priorities first, and that we can deliver real, bipartisan, common sense solutions to the serious problems that face us,” Hogan said, flanked by Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones at a press conference.
Hogan said $300 million will be allocated to what he describes as a “game changing” broadband initiative. This will allow for the proper technical assistance and infrastructure to give every Maryland resident high speed internet access “at every corner of the state,” he said.
Another $100 million was budgeted for the “nationally recognized employment training and apprenticeship programs,” Hogan said, adding that “another $100 million will go towards support for the dedicated state employees who have been providing essential services throughout the pandemic.”
The Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transportation Authority have been allocated $500 million, which will go towards infrastructure and different transit improvements, he said. And, $300 million will “provide a critical lifeline for struggling Marylanders, including for low-income households with utility bills, the temporary cash assistance program, as well as disability insurance payments,” Hogan said.