More than $10.2 billion is heading to New Jersey to help the state comeback financially after a year of battling the coronavirus.
Gov. Phil Murphy was joined by Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker in Elizabeth Friday morning to discuss how billions in federal funding are being allocated to the state.
"I commit to you today that New Jersey will be the number one state to recover from the pandemic," Murphy said.
In particular, Union County is set to receive $129.23 million including $92 million for municipalities with $39 million of that going to the city of Elizabeth.
"This money assures us that we can maintain proper police, fire and EMS protection as well as maintains our public health nurses that have so far given out over 12,000 vaccines," Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage said.
The COVID relief will help state and local communities not only combat the coronavirus pandemic but will also help New Jersey families recover from the devastating economic impact the crisis has caused.
"A family of four in New Jersey with two children will see, at a minimum, a minimum from this bill, $8,200 to their families," Sen. Cory Booker said.
The package does include money to continue with vaccine programs and Booker pushed to set aside money for children living in poverty.
"we are still going through the valley of the shadow of death. That's why this is a triumphant day. We faced many defeats, but we are not defeated," Booker said.
So far over 2.8 million New Jersey residents have been immunized against COVID-19 at least once.
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