The New Jersey Business Coalition has asked Gov. Phil Murphy to expedite federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to those who are waiting for them.
In a letter sent to the governor last week, said while federal dollars made available to New Jersey through ARPA have been appropriated, “the pace at which these funds have been moved into the hands of employers has lagged and must be hastened.”
The group of more than 90 leading business and nonprofit groups urged that the $700 million in federal funds announced in October that would go toward childcare facilities be moved as quickly as possible.
“As you are aware, the disruption to childcare availability is one of the reasons women dropped out of the labor force in record numbers last year. In order to quell some of the challenges facing this industry, as well as a workforce that relies on childcare access, these allocated funds must reach providers now,” the NJBC wrote.
The group also requested for more funds to flow for the Return and Earn program, designed to incentivize workers back to jobs.
“With hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents still out of work, and roughly as many jobs remaining unfilled, the Return and Earn program will be vital to regrowing our state’s workforce,” the NJBC wrote. “However, with only $500,000 spent out of a $10 million appropriation, these funds must flow more rapidly if our state is going to keep pace with the rest of the nation’s economic recovery.”
To read the full letter to Gov. Murphy, click here.
