Cuomo says he won't work with FEMA to extra federal unemployment benefits

IT'S A GAME OFPOLITICAL TUG-OF-WAR WITHTHOUSANDS OF NEWYORKERS FORCED TOWATCH, WAIT ANDWORRY ABOUT THEFATE OF THEIRUNEMPLOYMENTLIFELINE.FEMA IS NOWAPPROVING STATESFOR THE ENHANCEDFEDERALUNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE BENEFIT.IT WAS AUTHORIZEDBY PRESIDENT TRUMPEARLIER THIS MONTH-- BUT NEW YORK WILLNOT BE A PART OF IT,WITH GOVERNORCUOMO CASTINGDOUBT ON ITSLEGALITY.THE POLITICAL BACKAND FORTH LEAVINTHOUSANDS IN LIMBOAS THEY WORK TOMAKE ENDS MEET.ED REILLY REPORTS.HOW LONG CAN WEKEEP GOING ON LIKETHISSTACEY GIVAN FROMNORTH TONAWANDA ISSCARED ABOUT HERFINANCIAL FUTURE.THE REGISTEREDNURSE HAD JUSTSTARTED A NEW JOBAT A DOCTOR'S OFFICETHIS PAST MARCH .

.WHEN THE PANDEMICFORCED THE OFFICETO CLOSEPERMANENTLY.EVEN AS A NURSE, IT ISHARD TO FIND A JOBSTILL.

BELIEVE IT ORNOTGIVAN ALSO HAD ALONG SIDE-CAREER ASA LOCAL MUSICIANPLAYING IN A BANDCALLED THEFLEETWOOD MACEXPERIENCE.NATS SINGINGBUT NEW YORKSSTRICT COVID RULESON LIVE MUSIC HAVESHUT-DOWN INCOMEFROM THAT AS WELL.WE NEED SOMEBODYTO STEP IN AN HELPNOW.

WE CAN'T DOTHIS ON OUR OWNGIVAN AND MANYLOCAL MUSICIANS ARENOW CIRCULATING APETITION ONCHANGE.ORG TO GETTHE STATE TO LOOSENTHE RULES SO THEYCAN ADVERTISE LIVEMUSIC AND MAKESOME MONEY.IT JUST HELPS WITHTHE BASICS.

THAT ISALL WE ARE WORRIEDABOUT NOW IS THEBASICS AND SURVIVINGFOR THIS MOTHERWITH TWO ADULTCHILDREN LIVING WITHHER .

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SURVIVINGHAS MEANT COUNTINGON THE $600 A WEEKFEDERALSUPPLEMENTALUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFIT.WHEN IT ENDED ONJULY 31 .

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SHE WASHOPEFULTHAT PRESIDENT'STRUMP'S PROMISE OF$400 A WEEK WOULDCOME THROUGH.OH, I WOULD HAVELOVED IT BECAUSE ITIS JUST A TEMPORARYTHING THAT WOULDHELP MEBUT IT IS LOOKINGDOUBTFUL.UNDER THEPRESIDENT'SEXECUTIVE ACTION -STATES WOULD BEREQUIRED TO PAY 100OF THE $400 WEEKLYBENEFIT.YOU CAN'T SQUEEZEWATER FROM A STONEGOVERNOR ANDREWCUOMO SAID THERE ISNO WAY THE STATECAN AFFORD TO PAYTHAT.AND EVEN THOUGHFEMA IS OFFERINGSTATES A CHANCE TOAPPLY FOR THEMONEY WITH CREDITGIVEN FOR PASTPAYOUT OFUNEMPLOYMENT .

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.CUOMO SAID BASEDON LEGAL CONCERNS,LOGISTICS, COSTS,AND BROKEN PASTPROMISES WITH THETRUMPADMINISTRATION .

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.HE WILL NOT APPLY.I WOULD RATHER DOBUSINESS WITH THEOLD-TIME 'BOOKIE' ONTHE STREET CORNERTHAN DO BUSINESSWITH FEMASTACEY GIVAN'SREGULARUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS END IN TWOWEEKS.AND THE CONFUSIONMEANS MORE ANXIETYAND STRESSIT IS HORRIBLE ANDTERRIBLE.

I DON'TWANT TO HAVE TORELY ON MY CHILDRENTO PAY MY BILLS<NEW YORK STATE HASUNTIL SEPTEMBER 10TO APPLY FOR THEFEDERAL MONEY.

ANDI JUST GOT OFF THEPHONE WITH A STATEOFFICIAL WHO TOLD METHE GOVERNOR'S ISLOOKING FORANSWERS AND STILLEXAMINING THIS ISSUEVERY CLOSELY.

EDREILLY 7 EWN