HARRISBURG, PA — Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday announced a plan to transfer $145 million from the state Workers’ Compensation Security Fund to the general fund to aid businesses hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
Wolf expressed hope much of the funds would go to bars restaurants whose operations and profitability have been crippled by the pandemic, although gyms and entertainment venues also would be eligible for the money.
But how quickly the those businesses will obtain the financial relief remains to be seen. The grants Wolf proposed have to be authorized by the state Legislature, which is on holiday recess and won’t convene again until January.
“I urge the General Assembly to take action as soon as possible to get this money to our businesses,” Wolf said at a news conference.
“Restaurants and bars, those folks have been dealt a crushing blow by this pandemic through no fault of their own. The nature of this insidious disease is not the fault of the business owners and they should not have to weather this storm on their own.”
