Centre County politicians react to Gov. Wolf’s COVID recovery plan — including legalizing weed
For those worried about local businesses not surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Tom Wolf has a solution. But, not every Centre County representative is thrilled with his plans.
Backed by $1 billion in federal CARES Act funding, Wolf announced his fall legislative agenda Tuesday that includes a series of items aimed to provide relief to families, recovery for businesses and reform for government. Included in his plan to help small businesses is the legalization and taxation of recreational marijuana.
Wolf also outlined goals, which include hazard pay and personal protective equipment for front-line workers, expanded child care access, paid parental leave for all Pennsylvanians, support for educators, cancellation or reduction of the state alcohol tax and financial help for utilities and rent.
“House and Senate Democrats have been fighting for progress to protect families and businesses in these spaces since the beginning of the pandemic, but they have been stopped at every turn by the Republican majority focused on ignoring the public health crisis,” Wolf said in a statement. “That must stop now. The legislature must come back and take immediate steps to provide funding to front-line workers and businesses, put in place protections for families and our workforce and make these commonsense reforms that can provide confidence in our government. Pennsylvanians need relief, they need reform, and they need it now.”
Wolf’s call to legalize marijuana is part of a broader plan to rebuild and strengthen the state’s economy — which has been hit hard by the coronavirus, statewide shutdown and targeted mitigation efforts. The plan would use revenue from marijuana sales to fund small business grants, assist disadvantaged businesses and bring “restorative justice” to those harmed by the criminalization of the plant.
But this proposal is not a new idea. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has been a longtime advocate for the legalization of marijuana, believing that the cash crop could address state debt. Last month, Fetterman told KDKA that Pennsylvania’s already “thriving marijuana market” could remedy the $3.2 billion state deficit if the plant was made safe and taxable.
Fetterman — whose Twitter profile photo depicts a marijuana leaf — referred to Wolf as “his dude” on social media and shared his support for the proposal.
House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, responded to the proposal by accusing Wolf of being “disingenuous” through an “unaffordable legislative agenda” in a statement.
“His call to legalize marijuana comes at a time when 3.5 million Pennsylvanians have filed for unemployment as a result of this governor’s shutdown orders, and we are in the middle of an out of control opioid epidemic with an average of 13 Pennsylvanians dying each day from overdoses, equating to over 300 deaths monthly,” Benninghoff told the CDT Wednesday. “In addition, the governor’s proposal for how to use funds from recreational marijuana does not go to fill the budgetary shortfall we are experiencing as a result of his economic shutdown, but goes to new spending.
“Let’s help people get healthy, back to work and a more fulfilling life instead of adding to the state’s drug abuse problems.”
Medicinal marijuana has been legal for use in Pennsylvania since 2016.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, marijuana overdose is unlikely, but signs of using too much marijuana include extreme confusion, anxiety, paranoia, panic, fast heart rate, delusions or hallucinations, increased blood pressure and severe nausea or vomiting. In some cases, these reactions can lead to unintentional injury.
The United States Food and Drug Administration has not recognized or approved marijuana as medicine, but there are two FDA-approved medications that contain chemicals found in marijuana — called cannabinoids — in pill form.
The House Republican Caucus is set to return to meet in-session next week, a time Benninghoff said will be devoted to “working on Pennsylvania’s priorities of getting people safely back to work and providing for their families, ensuring the best educational opportunities for our children and finding the normalcy Pennsylvanians have long-desired.”
Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, — who has been critical of Wolf’s response to the pandemic — said the governor has “lorded” over Pennsylvania through executive order for more than six months.
“Today, he wants to dictate to the legislature through press release,” Corman tweeted Tuesday. “It appears as if the governor is starting the fall campaign now after it’s become clear that the legislative Democrats are feeling the pressure of Gov. Wolf’s decisions to implement some of the most restrictive economic shutdown measures in the country and create an autocracy.”
Corman is against the legalization of marijuana. When Wolf brought up legalization in 2018, Corman called it “reckless and irresponsible.”
Earlier in August, Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, described Pennsylvania as being at the “forefront of keeping people safe,” but said there needs to be better communication between state and local leaders.
When it comes to legalizing marijuana, Conklin isn’t opposed, but he thinks revenue from the plant should be allocated differently from what Wolf has proposed.
“I think it should be regulated, checked for safety and all revenue directed at property tax relief for seniors and the disabled,” Conklin said Wednesday.
State Reps. Stephanie Borowicz, R-McElhattan, and Rich Irvin, R-Spruce Creek, did not respond to requests for comment nor have they released statements on Wolf’s fall agenda.
