HARTFORD, Conn. —
Governor Ned Lamont provided the public with a number of updates Wednesday including extremely shocking unemployment numbers that show hundreds of thousands of residents are going through a tough time right now.
In the entirety of 2019, 180,000 Connecticut residents filed for unemployment. In just the last 18 days 220,000 residents filed for unemployment.
Governor Ned Lamont said the state is struggling to keep up with the high number of claims.
“Right now that’s a backlog of five to six weeks and that’s absolutely unacceptable,” Lamont said. “Give us four or five days, we're working with a fix that would allow us to have an expedited process on this.”
Lamont shared Connecticut's slice of the federal care act is nearly 1.5 billion dollars, but the state won’t receive the money until April 27th and those funds will only cover COVID-19 related expenses.
“Items such as assuring we can fund an increase in medicare, Medicaid services,as well as we have expanded coverage and reopened enrollment time periods to cover more uninsured,” Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management Melissa McGraw said.
Lamont pointed out the state’s $500 million revenue loss for this fiscal year will have to be covered by the rainy day fund.
Officials are moving fast to distribute the $1,200 stimulus checks. Lamont said residents should see the money by April 17th but it could be sooner.
“That’s $1200 per person, $2,500 for a couple and $500 per child,” Lamont said.
Lamont also reminded small business owners that applications for the $349 million paychecks Protection Program open Friday.
“Start documenting what your operating expenses are: payroll rent and utilities and prepare to put that proposal in that loan request tomorrow,” Lamont said.
The Paycheck Protection Loan allows businesses with up to 500 employees to borrow up to $10 million to be repaid over two years. The funds used to pay salaries can be forgiven, allowing employers to continue paying employees during this tough time and money used for rent, mortgage interest and utilities can be partially forgiven.
A new executive order starts Friday- all hotels and short term rentals will be reserved for essential workers only in efforts to limit transportation between states and in-state as well.
Lamont said the Bond Commission is set to hold a special meeting this Wednesday to act on a number of critical items.