Stimulus Could Bring More Than $110B For NYers, Schumer Says

NEW YORK, NY — When Congress struck a deal on a record-setting $2 trillion coronavirus relief stimulus package last week, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer estimated New York could see more than $40 billion in aid. On Sunday, the senator's estimates tripled to account for aid to New York's small businesses, hospitals and schools.

Schumer's office is now predicting the stimulus package will provide as much as $112 billion in aid to New Yorkers. This money will be distributed through programs such as payroll tax relief, unemployment insurance "on steroids," checks of $1,200 for every adult and disaster relief from FEMA, Schumer said.

"The ‘plus’ in the forty-billion we were able to announce the other day has now begun to reveal itself, and the additional dollars will mean critical help for New York," Schumer said in a statement.

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The $112 billion estimate includes Schumer's initial $40 billion in funding.

Here's how the money breaks down, according to Schumer's office:

• $33.8 billion for New York small businesses in payroll tax relief;
• $25 billion for New York hospitals to cover costs of equipment, testing, staffing and construction projects to expand hospital capacity;
• $16 billion for unemployment insurance. The stimulus bill modifies unemployment insurance for the next four months to also cover regular pay for workers who have been laid off, gig workers and freelancers;
• $15 billion in direct payments to New Yorkers from the federal treasury. The payments come in the form of one-time $1,200 checks for adults with $500 tacked on per child.
• $7.5 billion in disaster relief from FEMA;
• $7.5 billion to New York state government and local governments. Of this money, $1.4 billion goes to New York City.
• $4.1 billion for public transit systems in New York, $3.8 of which goes to the MTA.
• $1 billion for New York State public school relief fund.
• Several billions available through grant programs for airport improvements, community development, HUD homeless assistance, emergency education relief and child care.

Schumer added that he will push hard for even more funding for New York because it is the current "epicenter" of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States.

Many of New York's leaders at the state and local government have criticized congress' stimulus package for inadequate relief provided to municipal governments. Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the bill "terrible" when it was announced, and said on Sunday that the stimulus does nothing to help New York overcome a $10 billion to $15 billion budget shortfall caused largely by a loss in revenue spurred by the state's pandemic response. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has also ripped the stimulus, and called on Congress to pass a fourth coronavirus relief bill that would direct more aid to local governments.

Schumer spoke with Cuomo and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday about the Governor's concerns with the federal stimulus.

"Speaker Pelosi, Governor Cuomo, and I just had a long and productive conversation. We agreed that there is significant money for New York in the bills we passed, but that much more is needed and we will continue to work together to make that happen," Schumer said in a statement.