The Free State Comptroller Peter Franchot said it could be doing more for their neighbors.
Free State Comptroller says Maryland is Rich and Abundant With Affluence but More Money is Needed for its Residents
“I believe Maryland is the richest state and what is in the richest country in the history of the world according to the average family income. In fact, we have with a lot of affluence, and frankly, I think that the Relief Act was way too meager,” Franchot said.
Relief Act of 2021
The stimulus payments of $300 and $600 went out to Marylanders who did get the earned income tax credit on their 2019 state tax return under the bipartisan “Relief Act of 2021. You would need to make less than 16,000 in 2019. Thereby, we eligible for the credit. Also a single filer with no kids.
Moreover, Franchot believes the initial checks Marylanders received just aren’t enough.
“Families with young children could get $2000 checks sent out to them. This includes tens of thousands more than we’re actually including in the governor’s proposal,” Franchot has said.
Free State says: The COVID-19 Pandemic has Left People Without Resources
Many people are out in the cold, according to Franchot. He also said the pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime crisis.
Residents with Low Wage-Earning Jobs
“The $2,000 check should go to people in low wage-earning jobs that have children,” Franchot added.
“I believe we should do some form of second stimulus. In fact, the state does have the money. Moreover, it’s one-time only. People have been left out and all of them are taxpayers and they should be the recipients of that money, Franchot added.
Franchot has suggested that lawmakers make a second stimulus check as an option. But, as of now, there hasn’t been any indication from the state about that.
“We have the money on a one-time-only basis, we know who these people are because they pay taxes. So, we have them in our system. And we can largely, unlike the unemployment checks, that are sent out, we can largely avoid the open fraud, which is out there in a lot of these pandemic programs right now,” Franchot said.
