by Derek Major

March 12, 2021

Sen. Rick Scott Tells Republican Cities and States To Reject Coronavirus Relief Funds

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is urging Republican mayors and governors across the country to refuse to take funds from President Joe Biden‘s $1.9 trillion relief bill.

The former governor of Florida sent a letter to his successor, Ron DeSantis, and to Republican governors and mayors urging them to reject and return funds from Biden’s relief bill saying on Twitter Wednesday the county “cannot waste another tax dollar.”

Scott didn’t stop there, calling Biden’s relief package “massive, wasteful and non-targeted.” Scott also attacked Democrats in Congress for dedicating almost $4.5 trillion in federal spending and an additional $360 billion in taxpayer dollars.

“Democrats rushed this spending through Congress without a single Republican vote and against growing evidence that local and state tax revenue did not suffer the massive downturn predicted when lockdowns began,” Scott wrote according to NBC affiliate WPTV, calling out California for “adding more than $22 billion to its reserves.”

Although Scott left the governor’s mansion to run for Senate in 2019, his actions cost state residents plenty at the beginning of the pandemic. While Scott was governor, he created a significant number of roadblocks in the state’s unemployment system and cut the amount employers contributed to the unemployment,

By the time the pandemic shut down the state’s travel, bar and restaurant industries, the state’s unemployment system was so messed up, thousands of residents were forced to wait in line to fill out paper forms. DeSantis wasted no time blaming Scott for the issues.

Scott added in his letter, mayors and governors “understand the importance of living within your means and budgeting responsibly” to provide “the best possible service to your communities, ensuring maximum return on any government spending and eliminating debt whenever possible.”

Republicans have been pushing the narrative that Biden’s package costs too much, is too generous, and will make Americans want to work less. However, according to the New York Times  economists “expect an almost immediate boost to the U.S. economy from the stimulus bill, the American Rescue Plan, which includes several provisions meant to put money in the hands of low- and middle-income segments of the population quickly.”

The American Rescue Plan is also supported by 70% of Americans, many of whom are still feeling the economic and social brunt of the pandemic.


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