IN THE STATES: Republicans On Blast for Calling to Raise Costs, While President Biden, Democrats Push to Lower Them
April 1, 2022
This week in the states, Rick Scott and Republicans are still struggling to defend his plan to raise taxes on the poorest Americans and sunset Social Security and Medicare in five years, and Senator Ron Johnson is still facing heat at home for saying that Republicans should repeal the Affordable Care Act if they take back power, which could raise premiums and kick millions off of their health insurance.
- In Florida: Florida Politics: Rick Scott says it’s ‘unfair’ that poor people don’t pay income tax
- In Wisconsin: Cap Times: Opinion – Ron Johnson doesn’t want you to have health care
- In Wisconsin: Milwaukee Courier: Opinion – 12 Years After ACA, Johnson Is Still Attacking My Health Care
Meanwhile, President Biden released his new budget for Fiscal Year 2023 and Americans from Florida to Oregon read about how it would make billionaires pay their fair share, reduce the deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next decade, advance safety and security at home and around the world, and make the investments needed to build a better America.
- In Arizona: AZ Mirror: Biden budget plan would levy minimum tax on billionaires, boost national security
- In Oregon: Herald and News: Tax time: GOP resists Biden’s push to increase taxes on billionaires, corporations
- In Massachusetts: Newburyport Daily News: Mass. lawmakers back Biden’s billionaires’ tax
- In Georgia: Atlanta Journal-Constitution: How Biden’s 2023 budget plan could impact Georgia
- In North Carolina: SpectrumNews1: President Biden wants more money for police officers
- In Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Biden lays out a ‘fund the police’ budget plan
- In Wisconsin: Wisconsin Public Radio: Wisconsin environmental groups see promise in Biden’s funding proposal for EPA
- In Michigan: Detroit News: Biden’s nearly $6T budget aims to bolster EVs, Great Lakes and PFAS cleanup
- In Florida: Miami Herald: Biden seeks more money for Everglades restoration in 2023 budget
Americans also saw how President Biden is working to bolster supply chains and lower costs by repairing and upgrading ports and waterways across the country.
- In Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Long-awaited repairs for Emsworth Locks and Dams to get $77M boost in federal infrastructure funds
- In Texas: Brownsville Herald: Going Deep: Port channel project scores major funding
- In Virginia: 13NewsNow: Virginia’s senators, representatives applaud $223 million for dredging, storm mitigation
- In Colorado: Denverite: Denver’s getting the cash it’s been asking for to overhaul the South Platte
And, just like every week, Americans are continuing to see the American Rescue Plan’s positive impact on everything from their pensions to their internet connections.
- In Virginia: WAVY: Rescuing Retirees: Local congressman says multiemployer pension crisis thwarted by American Rescue Plan funds
- In Florida: St. Augustine Record: St. Augustine receives more than $26.5M for flooding, other resilience projects
- In North Carolina: CBS17: $10M awarded to Raleigh nonprofits from American Rescue Plan funds
- In California: Los Angeles Daily News: US Secretary of Education promotes American Rescue Plan during LA visit
- In Georgia: Center Square: Georgia doling out more than $11M in COVID relief to help teachers
- In New Hampshire: New Hampshire Bulletin: Grafton County moves toward universal broadband coverage with $3.8 million in ARPA funds
- In Georgia: Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Cherokee County to spend $41M in federal funds
- In Wisconsin: WEAU: Gov. Evers announces $5 million for expanding telehealth services
Meanwhile, Republicans are still trying to take credit for federal funds from the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that they opposed.
- In Florida: Palm Beach Post: DeSantis to dole out Florida first responder bonuses — with help from Capitol Hill Democrats
- In Florida: Florida Times-Union: DeSantis visits St. Johns to promote second year of $1K bonuses for first responders
- In North Carolina: TPM: Cawthorn Awkwardly Admits To Voting Against BIF During Photo-Op Bragging About BIF Funds
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