Stimlus bill signed, help is on the way

Thousands to benefit from added relief, virus aid, delayed evictions

By JOSH RESNEK

In a surprise move, President Donald Trump signed the $908 billion stimulus funding package into law Sunday night, ending days of speculation about whether or not the president would act.

Thousands of Everett residents will benefit from the package being signed into law.

The Treasury Department can now distribute the funding, or at least have it set aside to the proper authorities to provide $600 checks for about 90 million Americans; an extension of federally supported and funded unemployment benefits, including a $300 a week added stipend; relief for small businesses and money for COVID-19 distribution and testing, an extension of a ban on evictions until the end of January as well as rental assistance among many other benefits included in the package.

For Everett residents Trump’s action makes the next three months until the end of March, livable.

Everett’s unemployment numbers are high. The extended unemployment benefits and the weekly bonus makes the next 90-100 days far more palatable to the unemployed here.

The $600 checks will be sent out and will likely hit those with checking accounts or savings accounts linked with the IRS in or within two weeks.

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$600 stimulus checks will help unemployed, schools, children

Volunteers distribute food at the Connolly Center food pantry. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)


By JOSH RESNEK

Many, many thousands of people breathed a sigh of relief Monday when the second Stimulus passed after taking months to negotiate.

The stimulus will provide, among others, an extension of unemployment benefits as well as a $300 unemployment weekly bonus for 11 weeks.

In addition, $600 checks will be sent to all taxpayers who make $75,000 or less as individuals, and $150,000 or less as a married couple.

Also, the stimulus provides for $600 checks for children up to the age of 17 and for those out on their own over 17.

The checks will be deposited into the accounts of those who pay their taxes electronically or who have given the IRS their electronic information.

Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin said those checks could begin arriving in checking accounts next week.

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Stimulus package will be lifeline for many beleaguered Everett residents, businesses

By JOSH RESNEK

More than several thousand Everett residents are presently unemployed and collecting unemployment compensation which runs out the day after Christmas.

As a result of the virus, Massachusetts ranks among the highest states in numbers of unemployed in the nation.

With Congress finally preparing to act to alleviate the suffering caused by the economic damage brought on by restrictions placed on businesses by the virus, a second federal stimulus package will extend unemployment benefits until the end of March for everyone in the United States.

Those presently unemployed can expect to receive their Massachusetts unemployment check and an additional $300 a week until the end of March.

The stimulus will not include another round of $1200 in direct payments to most Americans.

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What happens next without a stimulus

Without more direct aid from the Federal government to Americans in the form of a second stimulus, many, many local residents and homeowners are going to lose their properties.

They’ve already lost their jobs and their unemployment benefits which run out in another month.

Without further federal aid, the future is looking dismal for this city’s most needy residents, and for the city itself. For those who were employed in the cleaning industry and at restaurants, there are very few opportunities for a new job.

Many, many families are running low on funds.

The lines for free food are longer than they were during the complete shutdown of the economy – another bad sign of things to come.

There is no easy way to highlight just how serious a moment we are at.

The Encore Boston Harbor Hotel and Casino has laid off more than 4,000 employees.

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Fear grows with lack of stimulus funding

Everett Grace Food Pantry volunteer distributes food. The pantry has provided over 1 million pounds of food since the pandemic started. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

US Senate oblivious to people’s needs

By JOSH RESNEK

The working people from this city we speak with every day are worried that without a new stimulus, and soon, jobs are going to permanently disappear, economic instability will intensify, and the nation’s recovery from the pandemic will be seriously threatened.

Everett has been hard hit by the pandemic and the subsequent closing down of the local economy.

It has been weeks since the partial reopening of the local economy. Many businesses have yet to get back to where they were before the pandemic hit in March. Government aid for smaller businesses is at an end right now.

The city government has laid off employees. In at least one instance, the city government has reneged on a promise to hire new employees, leaving those that expected to be hired in a lurch.

Some businesses have closed.

Many thousands of Everett residents have been out of work for months.

“Another stimulus would provide me and my family with an unemployment extension, the $1,200 stimulus grants and with free food, we can get by. Without government aid, surviving is made near to impossible,” said Santiago Vega, a cleaner for a local janitorial service. Vega worked in skyscrapers cleaning offices for 8 years before the pandemic hit.

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