Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo today called the $2 trillion aid package that was approved by the U.S. Senate and is expected to be approved by the House tomorrow wholly inadequate for New York, which has been the most severely affected state by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The economic package provides about $7.5 billion for the state, which Cuomo said faces a loss of about $10 billion to $15 billion.
“I find it irresponsible. I find it reckless,” Cuomo said. While adding that in the middle of a crisis such as this is not the time to be emotional about what Washington has failed to do, Cuomo said. “When this is over I promise I’m going to give them a piece of my mind.”
Cuomo said that the state faces a double whammy from the loss of tax revenues on top of the expenses for fighting the pandemic.
He said that with the state budget due April 1, there is a need to adjust the anticipated revenues downward and then, throughout the budget year, make adjustments based on the state’s actual income. He said that as the budget year progresses, expenditures will need to be adjusted.
Cuomo said at a today’s news conference in Albany that for the moment the state is in good shape with personal protective equipment for doctors and nurses. He said, however, there still is a need for more supplies for the future.
Cuomo reported that deaths from the virus in New York have reached 385. He said that sicker COVID-19 patients have remained on ventilators for 20 to 30 days, compared with just four or five days of ventilator use in most other illnesses.
He said the state still needs to find more ventilators for the expected peak of the outbreak. The state has approved a plan by which one ventilator can be used for two patients in certain circumstances. Ventilators need to be adjusted to provide air at a pressure and breathing rate appropriate for the patient using it. Tuning the units to serve two patients at the same time can be difficult.
Cuomo said that the state has set a goal to have at least 1,000 extra hospital beds in overflow facilities to be set up in each New York City borough as well as Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk.
Cuomo reported there have been 5,944 cases of COVID-19 identified in Westchester, 1,197 in Rockland, 751 in Orange, 190 in Dutchess and 21,393 in New York City. The state had a total of 37,258 cases of COVID-19. So far in New York state, 122,104 people have been tested for the virus.
Cuomo needs to not use this pandemic as an excuse to bail his city out from his issues prior to this crisis. keep it in line with what is needed to solve the pandemic problem you have, not your previous financial problem. there are other states that need help too.
Both Cuomo and de Blasio have to take responsibility for the mess! They are reluctant to close public schools in New York and delay to declare state of emergency. They are the incompetent politicians making all New Yorker suffering. They need to resign!