Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is proposing legalization of recreational marijuana to fund coronavirus aid grants for small businesses and fund restorative justice programs, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Using leftover funds from federal grant packages and the revenue from recreational marijuana, Wolf said the state would be able to fund PPE for front line medical workers; assist with rent and utility relief; and support parents, students and educators as the school year begins.
Like most states, Pennsylvania is facing a massive budget shortfall because taxes collections were reduced due to businesses closing during the coronavirus pandemic.
“House and Senate Democrats have been fighting for these things for years, and certainly since the beginning of the pandemic,” Wolf said. “They’ve been stopped at every turn by the Republicans who’ve been focused on ignoring the public health crisis and actually trashing me. That has to stop. We’ve got to get back to doing things that actually matter to people.”