Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio accused federal lawmakers Wednesday of not earmarking enough cash for New York as part of a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, slamming the measure as “terrible” and “nowhere close to what we need.”
In a press conference from Albany, Cuomo said the Empire State is only receiving $5.1 billion under the enormous stimulus deal being hashed out in the Senate.
Of that cash, the governor said just $1.3 billion is going to New York City, which is experiencing the worst coronavirus outbreak in the country, with more than 20,000 cases confirmed cases as of Wednesday night.
“The Senate is considering a $2 trillion bill, which is quote-unquote ‘relief’ for business, individuals and governments,” Cuomo said, as the dollar figures he referenced flashed by on a screen behind him. “It would really be terrible for the state of New York.”
For the city, in particular, Cuomo said the money is but "a drop in the bucket, as to need.”
De Blasio agreed.
“NYC is the epicenter of this crisis. No place is hurting more,” the mayor tweeted. “The direct aid to localities in the stimulus bill coming out of Mitch McConnell’s Senate is nowhere close to what we need to fight this epidemic in the nation’s largest city.”
But a source close to the negotiations on Capitol Hill said Cuomo’s dollar figures were misleading and at least partially inaccurate.
First off, the source told the Daily News that Cuomo only appeared to reference a single emergency appropriation that’s meant to “help stabilize” New York’s state and city governments. Additionally, the source said that appropriation is actually $5.8 billion — not $5.1 billion — with $1.4 billion for the city.
Moreover, Cuomo did not reference the more than $40 billion in relief for individual New Yorkers, including $15 billion in beefed-up unemployment insurance benefits and $15.5 billion in direct payments, according to the source.
Cuomo also did not mention the $4.35 billion earmarked for bailouts to the state’s transit agencies, including $3.8 billion for the MTA.
“When he’s talking about money to New York, he’s talking about money he can control,” the source said. “It’s unfortunate.”
But Cuomo adviser Rich Azzopardi said it was clear the governor was talking about emergency aid for the state’s coffers — not money for individuals and unemployment.
The governor’s gripe simply has to do with how much New York’s government is getting after already spending $1 billion to battle the virus, Azzopardi told The News.
“Why in the world is New York, which is the epicenter of this pandemic, getting treated the same as other states?” Azzopardi said. “It makes no sense.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who played a major role in negotiating the massive aid package, said the Empire State still gets plenty.
“I think it’s a very strong across-the-board package. Obviously it could be better, always, but it’s really strong,” Schumer said. "McConnell is the reason that we don’t have even more. He has blocked it every step of the way.”
De Blasio gave Schumer a pat on the back.
“I want to thank Leader Schumer ... for ensuring this vital aid was part of this package,” de Blasio tweeted.
In his briefing, Cuomo said New York’s state government needs a larger bailout to cover enormous budgetary setbacks caused by the virus.
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“We’re looking at a revenue shortfall of $9, $10, $15 billion. This response to this virus has probably already cost us $1 billion, and it will probably cost us several billion dollars when we’re done,” the governor said.
The Senate was expected to vote on the $2 trillion bill Wednesday evening, though some last-minute snags could delay the approval until Thursday.
Once approved, the bill heads to the House, which will have to pass it before it goes to President Trump’s desk for a final signature.
Cuomo urged the House to make sure New York gets more cash.
“I spoke to our House congressional delegation this morning. I said to them, ‘This doesn’t do it,’ " Cuomo said, noting that a coronavirus relief blueprint proposed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier this week gave the New York government about $17 billion. "I told the House members that we really need their help.”