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Cuomo Blasts Washington for Failing to Fund Hard-Hit States

Governor Andrew Cuomo holds daily COVID-19, Coronavirus press briefing May 5 (Facebook)

May 5, 2020 By Christian Murray

Gov. Andrew Cuomo took aim at Washington today, particularly Republican leaders who are reluctant to fund state governments hard hit by the coronavirus.

Cuomo, speaking at his daily press briefing, called on federal lawmakers to put partisan politics aside and include aid for state and local governments in its next stimulus bill.

“If you starve the states how do you expect the states to be able to fund this entire reopening plan which the governors are in charge of,” Cuomo asked.

He noted that the states need the funds to pay for essential services such as police, firefighters, hospital workers and teachers. He said that without federal help it will be hard for many states to reopen.

Cuomo also took a shot at President Donald Trump, who was quoted in the New York Post saying that the states in need of funding are Democratic states and that it is the result of mismanagement.

Trump said it was not right to require Republican states to provide “bailouts.”

“It’s not fair to the Republicans because all the states that need help — they’re run by Democrats in every case,” Trump told the Post. “I don’t think the Republicans want to be in a position where they bail out states that are, that have been mismanaged over a long period of time.”

Cuomo took this argument to task, noting that New York State’s $13 billion projected deficit pales in comparison to what the state has provided the federal government with in recent years.

“We have put more money in the federal pot than what’s been given back for decades,” Cuomo said.

Since 2015, he said, the state has provided the federal government with $116 billion more than what it has received.

Cuomo said that many of the Republican leaders opposed to funding blue states represent districts that consistently take more from the federal government than what they put in.

Cuomo said that there is a need for bipartisanship to get a stimulus bill that would cover funding the states. He said the previous stimulus legislation helped hotels, airlines, small businesses and now it is time to help state and local governments.

He said that the Trump administration wants governors to be in control but they are limited if they don’t have the resources they need.

Cuomo also reviewed the current COVID-19 data pertaining to the state at the briefing.

He noted that the number of COVID-19 related hospitalizations and intubations continues to decline and that there were 230 people who died from the virus in the past 24 hours.

Cuomo said that the balancing act of reopening the economy versus the likely increase in deaths is now being debated.

“There is a cost of staying closed and a cost of reopening early,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo pointed to recently released data that shows the projected number of deaths across the nation is expected to jump significantly—now that the reopening dates of various states has been factored in.

Cuomo, citing IHME data, said that the projection is that there will be 135,000 deaths by Aug. 4. On April 17, the number was projected to be 60,308.

“The faster we open, the higher the human cost,” he said.

“That’s the hard truth we are all dealing with. Let’s be honest and be open about it,” Cuomo said. “The question comes back to: ‘How much is a human life worth?’”

Data Provided by Gov. Cuomo’s office

email the author: news@queenspost.com

44 Comments

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Gardens Watcher

Cuomo is right. Congress needs to pass another bill to help the states, and Trump needs to sign it NOW. If not, expect a ton of more state and city cutbacks this summer nationwide.

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Mac needs to read.

Mac get’s his info from the China News Network. People are leaving New York in droves – I see the moving vans every day. They are leaving because they are taxed too much and the middle class is being destroyed. Cuomo also gave criminals a get out of jail free card which law abiding citizens resent.

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Mac

When Trump took over as executor of his fathers estate, he took the healthcare, which Trumps father said he would always pay for, away from his ailing infant nephew. Denying people he doesn’t know the life saving assistance they need wouldn’t be a stretch for this angry spiteful and vengeful dotard.

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Trump said he'd "repeal and replace Obamacare on day 1"

Another complete lie and failure, thankfully. Trump lovers fell for it of course ?

Can you imagine if his plan to take away everyone’s health care was in effect right now?! His terrible response would have cost even MORE lives.

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Mac

Hashtagger- A large percentage of deaths have been in nursing homes in NJ, VA MD and WA. In WA the outbreak started in a nursing homes. People in nursing homes are the most vulnerable to the virus. This was projected. You’re spreading propaganda about Cuomo and Coronavirus patients in nursing homes. Stop spreading lies. The overwhelming majority of nursing homes have quarantine units and are extended care facilities regulated by the state and more then capable of handling a COVID 19 patient. The nursing facility my daughter works out on LI has a number of Covid patients and their treatment is top of the line.

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Mike T

Antonio – Many nursing homes are extended care facilities, funded by the state and very capable of taking care of gravely sick patients. Hospitals were already overwhelmed during this crisis. This was a sound decision. Who is your news source? The one with blood on his hands is Donald J Trump.

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Mac

Larry Penner- Blue states like NY, NJ, CT,CA, WA are Federal Aid they are the many of the fifty states who could make this claim, you mention without mentioning them by name.Its time for the blue states to secede.

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Mac

Long fiscal Mismanagement- New York is one if the few states that actually creates actual wealth . Wealthy individuals are being created all the time. Just ask Crains and Forbes magazine, two Republican contributors. Sounds like you’re a victim of Fox, Murdoch propaganda. Please don’t respond with a right wing article instead use the time to research propaganda methods instead.

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Mac

Social Justice- You’re a victim of Fox Propaganda. Google propaganda techniques and start yourself on the path of free thinking and self respect.

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Mike T

Frustrated citizen- You one issue voters are largely responsible for people like Trump getting into power. How much were the tens of thousands of lives lost because of Trumps inactions and incompetence worth? Lives whose lungs actually breathed the air of Yahweh the defining event of being classified according to the Bible.

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Wendy

This is no time to argue and bicker. We need another stimulus check! NYS unemployment hasn’t called back, I can not get access to benefits, even after being certified! Online or telephone can’t help with my claims.

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dave

Does he really think that teaching online is the same? How do you prevent cheating on tests? How do you know parents are not doing homework? What if people live in rural areas and there is no internet or slow internet? Is he freakin kidding me.

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Saki

This dude is loving the TV time. He has turn his briefings into a Morning and Afternoon Talk show. Even trying to give away things to his audience! You get a free! You get a check! You get a check!

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#dumpcuomo

Says Cuomo, the man who sent covid infected seniors BACK TO THE NURSING HOMES WHERE THEY DIED. Nearly half of the deaths in NYC are from the nursing homes.

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That's all completely false.

None of that is true.
You’re upset Trump had all the info in Jan and didn’t act right? That he’s withholding NYS federal aid?

(there’s no hashtags here you’re a little…out of touch)

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Sandy

I like Andrew. A Down-to-Earth, honest voice to listen to amongst all the chaos. He’s got some humor too. Kudos to him. Haters gonna hate. Shake it off, Andrew!

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JR.

Oooh, I hope he steals another bridge and names it after his family. How about he changes NYC to New Cuomo City?

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I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning?

Why has Trump abandoned his home state? He refuses to give us money because of a personal gripe.

Meanwhile, the working class is unemployed and NYC’s economy is in the toilet. Thanks President Game Show Host!

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Ryan

Why doesn’t he talk about the 70k raise he gave himself in the budget??? Or the flavored vape ban he passed.

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Ronda

Every single time cuomo opens his mouth it is to speak truth and to fight for the people and I am in loveeeee! CUOMO for president ! Please don’t let TRUMP win! PLEASE be our HERO!! ???

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Biden2020

It is less important to agree with everything Cuomo says, than the fact that he is displaying good leadership. Trump says things unsupported by facts and his platitudes are bedtime stories that do not inspire confidence.

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Riona

I used to live in Sunnyside, Queens and I think Cuomo is one of the best leaders this country has ever seen. Hang in there Sunnyside. You are in good hands. You are in my thoughts and prayers from Florida.

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CR

I hope he and all of the other Governors are aware that there are new reports being put out by doctors that are seeing an increase in children in the ICU because of inflammation in their vascular system and brains and and sudden cardiac arrest Dr’s have said this is caused by the Coronavirus but they do not know why it is showing this way in children all of sudden…is it a mutation of virus or is it the virus has built up in their systems?

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Social Justice

apparently progressive Cuomo does not understand the concept of wealth re-distribution…the wealthier states pay more to support the poorer states…that is the mantra of the progressive agenda…but when it comes time to pay the bill they want to blame others and cry for money…what a bunch of fakes

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Trump redistributed taxpayer wealth to give everyone free money

It’s definitely not socialism though, because, um ?

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Heidi Rojas

My daughter is an essential worker and rides the subway. Please do something to help the homeless population on the subway. The NYPD is not doing much about it and they are being told not to enforce or monitor social distancing. The police commissioner needs to resign. So many people are not wearing masks.

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Long, very long term fiscal mismanagement.

New York State and New York City have been running a deficit for years and years. Both have seriously underfunded their pension systems. They cover the costs of their “liberal/socialist programs by borrowing and financial slight of hand. State and City taxes are in the top three of all the states, driving high income and many wealthy to move out.

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Larry Penner

Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to blame Washington for all of our problems just like his political ancestors from past decades. He has an insatiable appetite for more and more federal assistance with no concern about increasing the confiscatory level of taxation to generate the revenues along with increasing long term borrowing to pay for this or how the billions of dollars are spent. He believes throwing more taxpayer dollars at problems will solve all of society’s ills.

Moving tax dollars from Washington to New York state redistributes the wealth from the haves to the have-nots. The late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan decades ago documented how New Yorkers sent more money to Washington than we get back. Many of the 50 states could make the same argument. This imbalance also holds true in the distribution of state aid from Albany to the 62 counties of New York state. Within New York City, residents of Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Bronx and Manhattan (or each of the fifty-nine community planning boards) don’t always get back the same amount of money sent to City Hall, Albany and Washington. Within any of our 62 counties, you could take this analysis down to every town, village and local census tract in New York state. Maybe Cuomo should practice what he preaches when spending billions in state dollars as well.

Larry Penner.

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Fiona

Scientists say covid-19 has mutated. Making people who recovered vulnerable to a second infection. The east coast virus ( the dominant one in NYC ) is more contagious. This is not good news for those of us stuck here with no food or money to pay bills. Please send help before it gets worse.

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Antonio

Coumo has done nothing for this state only Tax us to death , His response in this case has been criminal, He has blood on his hands with his urging off returning patients to nursing homes, The Feds bailed him out big time already .

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Francine Maspeth

I no longer watch the virus update on TV so tired of hearing Cuomo stories of his mother / daughters . And whats up with his secretary Melissa she speed talk ? Her monotone voice is ill. THIS virsus was man made from day one . We should of been wearing face masks from back in Jan .
Thanks to all experts for causing so much anxiety & fear .

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Larry Penner

As we deal the Corona Virus Pandemic, let us not forget about the $23 trillion and growing debt epidemic. Washington has already accumulated $23 trillion in long term debt. With a $4.4 trillion budget, this debt was forecast to grow by $1 trillion annually for years to come, prior to the Corona Virus. The federal government has already provided $3 trillion in stimulus bills which will have to be paid for with more borrowed funds, increasing our national debt once again. Every level of government, private sector businesses small and large along with millions of Americans out of work are looking for financial assistance. Yes this is not enough for some. Even before the first dollars are spent, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer want yet another $1 to $2 trillion stimulus on steroids packages.

Who is going to bail out Uncle Sam to pay for this? Government, the private sector and citizens must make difficult financial decisions on how to use existing resources. Americans prioritize their own family budgets. They make the difficult choices in how existing household financial resources will be spent. If it can wait until later, it should be postponed.

The world’s favored currency is our dollar. This could end if Washington will not control annual increases in spending and debt. If things continue the way they are, don’t be surprised if by 2030 China surpasses us, and the yen becomes the worlds favored currency.. Our reign as the #1 super power will come to an end like all empires.
Larry Penner

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Suckafree

Snake,
Blue states like NY and especially NYC raise a great deal of taxes from Wall St alone. Blue states have to subsidize red states that are relatively poor. The Federal govt. has gone on spending sprees as even Gingrich admitted when he lambasted Democrats as tax and spend but when they took control they just spent and put it on the taxpayers tab to pay off. The middle class if you take into account of all taxes such as sales tax etc. the wealthy don’t pay their fair share. Trump just handed the wealthy a huge tax break while giving the middle class a measly tax break which will expire while running up the deficit.

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Roberto

In fairness Andrew you’ve blown a lot of money yourself it might teach you a lesson about the rainy day.Dont worry about the other states you are not their governor.

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Frustrated Citizen

He asks “How much is human life worth?” Does that include the unborn? Obviously not in NYS.

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Bob the Astorian

Trumpsters will be voting for him again, even as their City and State services slowly disappear. No Police, no road repairs, no snow removal – and that’s just the beginning.

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Mac

The wealthiest states in the union per capita income are New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California, Hawaii, Vermont, New Hampshire, Washington Utah, Minnesota and Virginia. The trend is blue. The poorest states are Mississippi, Alabama New Mexico, West Virginia, South Carolina, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia . Trend is Ted with the possibility of one on the list. We need to secede and form our own federation or join Canada. Republican “fascist”, must be in party to play is offensive, obviously a failed notion and Un-American.,This pandemic crisis was caused by Trump administration.

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Olivia

The Federal government, under any president, does not care about individual states beyond their ability to fund the military.

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Snake Plisken

States are like spoiled college students who run amok with daddy’s credit card then wonder why federal daddy takes it away.

Get your fiscal houses in order blue states. You already tax your people through the nose.

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Georgia

Cuomo should set an example and cancel rent and mortgage payments including property taxes for all New Yorkers. Practice what you preach!!

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