Oroho, Space & Wirths Echo Warren County’s Call for Release of Discretionary Aid Contained in NJ’s Federal CARES Act Funding

Senator Steve Oroho and Assemblymen Parker Space and Hal Wirths (all R-24) released the following statement in support of Warren County’s efforts to secure a fair share of CARES Act funds today:

“Our taxpayers and county governments are being ignored, and sadly, we have reached a point where we must come together and demand the Administration in Trenton hears us loud and clear.

“We can no longer stand silent as our pleas for help are ignored while the money counties so desperately need has already been delivered by the federal government and is sitting idly in a state account.

“Warren County, along with Sussex, Morris and nine other counties that didn’t qualify for direct federal aid through the CARES Act were promised some of the $250 million in reimbursement of coronavirus-related expenses.

“Months have gone by, and not a penny of that money has been received. In the meantime, the more than $2 billion in federal relief remains unspent.

“In his role as the Republican Budget Officer, Senator Oroho has been leading the charge to hold the Administration accountable and make them do the right thing, to put this money to work where it is needed.

“If local governments don’t get reimbursement from CARES money, property tax increases are inevitable. With New Jersey’s track record of astronomical property taxes, that is not an option we can live with.

“Murphy has repeatedly claimed he is asking for guidance from the federal government on how the money is to be spent. But guidance from the federal Department of the Treasury was issued more than a month ago, on June 24 and again less than a week later.

“What is he waiting for? Why the delay?

“The Administration must loosen its purse strings and deliver the pandemic relief that was intended by the feds when they sent the CARES money to Trenton.

“Counties have endured the burden of costly and unanticipated expenses due to the coronavirus. From supporting the front line of the health care response and temporary testing centers, to major investments in the vote-by-mail primary in July, counties have been responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars and they must be reimbursed.”