5 US states urge $1tn aid to cope with pandemic

Washington, May 12 (IANS) The US states of California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Colorado have sent a joint letter to Congressional leaders, requesting $1 trillion in financial help to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the letter sent on Monday, the Western States Pact said that they were facing “unprecedented and ongoing economic challenges” due to the pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency.

If there were no such aid, they would have to make some “impossible decisions”, including stopping funding public healthcare and laying off teachers, police officers and firefighters, among other first responders.

“It’s clear that COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future — and without federal support, states and cities will be forced to make impossible decisions. That’s why our Western States Pact is urgently requesting $1 trillion in relief to states & local governments,” Oregon Governor Kate Brown tweeted on Monday morning.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said at his daily briefing on Monday: “This is the requirement of this moment. That gives you a sense of the thrust of the need that we are all feeling as states, as regions, as cities.”

Newsom said he anticipated California’s unemployment rate to climb up to 25 per cent as a result of the fatal disease pandemic and the state would face a multi-billion dollar budget deficit after years of surplus.

A memo released by Newsom’s office said due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state government would face a $54.3 billion budget deficit through next summer.

The pact was launched last month for the members to coordinate measures to fight the fatal disease and economic consequences.

–IANS

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