There is one Valley Republican who’s happy Biden’s $1.9 trillion in COVID stimulus passed
The $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package passed Wednesday has widespread benefits and hundreds of millions of dollars headed for the central San Joaquin Valley, according to the deal’s supporters.
Meanwhile, area Republicans remain skeptical — although one prominent GOP member came out in strong support of the plan.
The House passed the bill by a vote of 220-211 , successfully approving the plan before the Democrats’ self-imposed deadline of March 14 — the date when enhanced unemployment benefits expire.
California’s state government is expected to get about $26 billion, while local governments statewide and cities are expected to get $16.6 billion.
The plan will now head to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature, which the White House has said he’s expected to do Friday.
Who supported the plan — and who didn’t
One Democrat and all of the House Republicans voted against the bill.
Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said the money will increase the number of vaccine shots in arms, help return children to the classroom and support the local economy.
“The economic impacts we think this package will provide will really bring us out of this recession, the greatest recession we have felt since the Great Recession of the 1930s,” he said. “Economists, the treasury secretary and other folks are indicating that a significant rebound will be taking place.”
Most Americans will get a $1,400 stimulus check, which will start going out this month.
No Republicans voted for the plan in either the Senate or House. Democrats passed the deal under budget reconciliation, which allows for “expedited consideration” of legislation on spending, taxes and debt, allowing them to bypass the 60-vote requirement for advancing the legislation in the Senate.
Democrats were forced to abandon a federal minimum wage increase to $15 per hour after the Senate parliamentarian ruled the provision couldn’t be passed under the reconciliation process.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, who is a Republican, was an outspoken supporter of the bill, said in February the city needed relief to stave off a deficit and 250 layoffs.
And Dyer didn’t change his tune on Wednesday.
“Absent this stimulus package, our city would have been facing a $25 million deficit in the coming fiscal year, based on recent revenues,” he said on Wednesday. “As a result of this stimulus package, we will now be able to avoid any layoffs or service reductions. Fresno isn’t a rich city, and there will always be challenges, but at least COVID won’t be one of them.”
Republicans railed against the aid, saying it was particularly unnecessary for the state of California, where revenue has exceeded estimates.
“If you are a hardworking taxpayer, sorry,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield. “You just send a bill. But if you are in San Francisco, we are going to help pay for your deficit.”
Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, said the plan prioritizes the Bay Area over the more rural Central Valley, saying the bill pays off most of San Francisco’s $650 million budget deficit while unemployment rates are worse in the Valley.
“The Democrats are playing hyper-partisan politics with a global pandemic. Americans need vaccinations, our economy needs reopened, and our children need to go back to school,” Valadao said. “Instead of targeting relief to accomplish these things, Democrats are pushing their far-left pet projects through with what they are calling the ‘most progressive legislation in decades,’ while only focusing 9% of spending on COVID relief.”
Costa said the relief package is proportioned by population, noting the number of people who live in the Bay Area and Southern California is much larger than the rural Valley. “This has overwhelming bipartisan support,” he said of the bill.
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found last week that 70% of Americans back Biden’s response to the virus, including a hefty 44% of Republicans. According to a CNN poll released Wednesday, the relief bill was backed by 61% of Americans, including nearly all Democrats, 58% of independents and 26% of Republicans.
Here are congressional estimates of the anticipated allotments:
▪ Fresno County, $193.7 million.
▪ San Joaquin County, $147.8 million.
▪ Tulare County, $90.4 million.
▪ Merced County, $54 million.
▪ Madera County, $30 million.
For cities:
▪ Fresno, $177.3 million.
▪ Bakersfield, $96.2 million.
▪ Modesto, $47.4 million.
▪ Merced, $28 million.
▪ Madera, $22 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 10, 2021 at 2:31 PM.
