HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity was a guest on the FOX43 Capitol Beat with anchor Matt Maisel on Oct. 6.
Garrity, a Republican who was elected to her first term last November, applauded the General Assembly for its decision to take $2.5 billion provided by the American Rescue Plan and put it towards the Commonwealth's Rainy Day Fund for emergency budgetary purposes.
State Democrats argued more of the $7 billion the state received in federal funding should have been used immediately to help with COVID-19 relief efforts. However, only about $1 billion was used.
Garrity also promoted Pennsylvania's 529 College Savings Program, which she says has seen record growth within the past fiscal year.
The program added 25,004 accounts between 2020-21, marking one of the most successful years in the last 30 years. Pennsylvanians have contributed $732 million in the past year, totaling more than $6.8 billion since the program started. There are over 265,000 open PA529 accounts.
Treasurer Garrity also discussed her office's push to reunite Pennsylvanians with an estimated $4 billion in unclaimed property sitting in the state's vault. She stressed going to the Commonwealth's unclaimed property website to see if you are one in ten Pennsylvanians who are owed money.