Coronavirus Bill Cuts All NJ Cities

Piscataway Mayor Calls on NJ Congressional Delegation to Lower Half-Million Population Threshold

March 24, 2020 – In a newly released U.S. House coronavirus package, $200 billion is included for direct financial assistance to states and local governments, but the 500,000 population threshold leaves out all cities in New Jersey.

“Mayors throughout the Garden State see first-hand the needs of their communities during this pandemic, but the House bill leaves us all out in the cold,” Piscataway Mayor Brian C. Wahler said.  “The New Jersey congressional delegation must work immediately to correct this glaring and unfair omission to enable us to meet the needs for our residents.”

As a state that has long provided more revenue to the federal government than it receives back in benefits and with New York City and its suburbs considered the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, cities in New Jersey are uniquely and disproportionately affected by bill’s high population bar.

“New Jersey’s congressional leaders must stand strong and unified to lower the population minimum and give us the tools we need at the local level to curtail the effects of this crisis,” Mayor Wahler added.  “Just as with the current guidelines of the federal Community Development Block Grant program, the population threshold should be lowered to 30,000 people.”