Hershey Critical of Finances, Transparency Associated with Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps Plan

5/7/2020

HARRISBURG – On Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced his intentions to create the Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps (CCCC) to expand testing and contact tracing capabilities, while also providing job opportunities in the public health sector. In response, Rep. John Hershey (R-Franklin/Juniata/Mifflin) issued the following statement:

“Unfortunately, the governor has announced yet another plan without discussing how to pay for it. This plan has little transparency and details − much like the plan to lift stay-at-home orders in a haphazard way.

“First, the governor stated that he wants to start this program to put people to work. Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians already have jobs, but the governor is not allowing them to go safely back to work. If it is safe to be employed in the health care sector and potentially be on the front lines of a response to a global pandemic, then it is safe for people to return to the jobs they currently hold.

“Second, the governor has issued this plan without detailing how it will be paid for. If we are to follow the recommendations of public health experts, Pennsylvania needs to conduct 800,000 tests per day over the summer to properly monitor the virus. This would require the Commonwealth to hire hundreds of new employees at a time when the governor himself projects a $5 billion deficit in the state budget.

“Finally, the governor mentioned that he is working to be transparent with his policy making and other decisions. However, once again, the Legislature was informed of his decision minutes before his press conference.

“If the governor wishes to be transparent, he needs to start including the Legislature in his decisions. The administration’s chaotic response needs to be better defined, and the science and data they claim to follow needs to be public information. As my colleague Paul Schemel (R-Franklin) has stated, ‘the birthplace of liberty deserves better than this.’”

Representative John Hershey
82nd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives