More Funding Urged For CT Hero Pay Program: Here's What To Know

CONNECTICUT — State Comptroller-elect Sean Scanlon is calling for the state legislature to increase funding for the state's hero pay program during an upcoming special session.

A total of $30 million was allocated to the program, but the state has received a massive number of applications. The program requires that benefit levels are prorated if the number of applicants exceeds thresholds.

The original $1,000 benefit amount for workers who make under $100,000 annually will be reduced to about $232. Fully funding the program would cost about $122 million, Scanlon said.

The program is meant for frontline essential pandemic workers such as health care workers, child care providers and others.

More than 360,000 claims were submitted as of the deadline, of which 190,000 were complete.

"The one-time Premium Pay Program bonuses were the least we could do to show our appreciation for Connecticut's essential workers," Scanlon said. "And given that demand exceeded the anticipated budget, we must now act in order to make sure our heroes get the thanks they deserve."

Scanlon, who is a current state representative, has previously urged his colleagues to increase funding for the program. House Speaker Matt Ritter and Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney previously said they were open to taking up the matter in a special session, according to CT Insider.

Putting more money in the hero pay program would mean less somewhere else, such as reducing the amount of money that goes toward paying down state pension obligations, Gov. Ned Lamont said during a September WNPR interview.

“That’s always a debate we’ve had, I’ve tried to strike the right balance,” Lamont said.
The state also had a child tax rebate and large investments in child care and schools this year, he said.