AP: States and cities slow to spend Democrat's pandemic aid
3 years, 3 months ago

AP: States and cities slow to spend Democrat's pandemic aid

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The aid to governments is intended both "to address any crisis needs” and to provide "longer-term fire power to ensure a durable and equitable recovery,” said Gene Sperling, White House American Rescue Plan coordinator. Those reporting no initial spending included Pittsburgh, whose mayor joined with several other Pennsylvania mayors in February on a column urging Congress to pass “crucial” aid for state and local governments. The federal money also will help pay the salaries of more than 600 city employees “Even though the money hadn’t technically been expended” by the Treasury Department's reporting timeline, "the receipt of the money was enough for us to hold off on major layoffs,” said Dan Gilman, chief of staff to Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto. "That takes some thought and some planning.” Republican state Rep. Doug Richey, who leads a House panel on federal stimulus spending, said he's not convinced Missouri needs to spend all of its American Rescue Plan funds.

Money States Congress Cities Treasury Missouri Spending Republican State Biden Federal Pittsburgh Aid Sign Spent Spend Large Cities  spend  states  democrats  slow  ap  aid  money  spending  spent  sign  state  cities  pandemic  federal

History of this topic

Clock is ticking for local governments to use billions of dollars of federal pandemic aid
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Clock is ticking for local governments to use billions of dollars of federal pandemic aid

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Governments must obligate all their …

Connecticut lawmakers debate spending remaining COVID-19 funds, forgoing changes to state budget
8 months ago

Connecticut lawmakers debate spending remaining COVID-19 funds, forgoing changes to state budget

Associated Press  

HARTFORD, Conn. — Facing a Dec. 31 deadline, Connecticut lawmakers were on track Tuesday to approve a Democratic plan to spend at least $360 million in remaining federal COVID-19 pandemic funds on key areas, including higher education, not-for-profit social service agencies, municipal aid and children’s mental health. Republicans in the House and Senate argued the Democrats’ plan sets the state …

As local governments spend billions in pandemic relief, some neglect to report specifics
1 year, 4 months ago

As local governments spend billions in pandemic relief, some neglect to report specifics

LA Times  

President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan shortly after taking office in 2021. The city, which was devastated in 2011 by one of deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history, took a deliberate approach with its pandemic aid to develop “really transformational projects,” said Leslie Haase, Joplin’s finance director. The actual amount of spending commitments is probably well over 80% when accounting …

Federal COVID aid OK’d to pay for roads, natural disasters
1 year, 11 months ago

Federal COVID aid OK’d to pay for roads, natural disasters

Associated Press  

— State and local governments will soon gain new flexibility to spend billions of federal coronavirus relief dollars on things not directly related to the pandemic, including new roads and bridges and aid to people affected by wildfires, floods and other natural disasters. The broadened spending authority for the previously approved pandemic aid was one of many of provisions wrapped …

States spend federal COVID aid on roads, buildings, seawalls
2 years, 3 months ago

States spend federal COVID aid on roads, buildings, seawalls

LA Times  

The Robert B. Docking State Office building in Topeka, Kan., is largely vacant and in need of renovations. State officials categorized the project as a “public health service” in a report to the U.S. Treasury Department laying out their plans for the money. By contrast, the states reported less than $12 billion of planned expenditures the fell in the Treasury …

Under the hood of $1.5T bill for Ukraine, pandemic, agencies
2 years, 9 months ago

Under the hood of $1.5T bill for Ukraine, pandemic, agencies

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Even for Congress, the $1.5 trillion price tag for its bipartisan package helping Ukraine and financing federal agencies for the last half of this year is a lot of money. FOR UKRAINE, A BIG NUMBER The legislation, passed Wednesday by the House, would provide $13.6 billion to help Ukraine resist Russia’s invasion and to buttress NATO allies worried …

Biden’s Pandemic Preparedness Plan Is Spending Money in the Wrong Places
55 years ago

Biden’s Pandemic Preparedness Plan Is Spending Money in the Wrong Places

Slate  

Way back in 2018, Ed Yong wrote a piece for the Atlantic that seems prescient now. That should really make us think about what happens when you deploy very, very good medical interventions on a society where millions of people can’t access health care, where public health has been allowed to rot away for over a century, and where there …

AP: States and cities slow to spend federal pandemic money
3 years, 3 months ago

AP: States and cities slow to spend federal pandemic money

Associated Press  

As Congress considered a massive COVID-19 relief package earlier this year, hundreds of mayors from across the U.S. pleaded for “immediate action” on billions of dollars targeted to shore up their finances and revive their communities. The aid to governments is intended both “to address any crisis needs” and to provide “longer-term fire power to ensure a durable and equitable …

Biden seeking additional funds for Ida relief and Afghans
3 years, 4 months ago

Biden seeking additional funds for Ida relief and Afghans

Associated Press  

The White House is asking Congress to approve an additional $24 billion in spending to handle the costs of Hurricane Ida and other natural disasters, as well as $6.4 billion for the resettlement of evacuees from Afghanistan to help with transportation, government processing and public health screenings. Shalanda Young, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, in a …

States rebound from bleak forecasts to pass record budgets
3 years, 7 months ago

States rebound from bleak forecasts to pass record budgets

Associated Press  

— Just a year ago, the financial future looked bleak for state governments as governors and lawmakers scrambled to cut spending amid the coronavirus recession that was projected to pummel revenue. “It’s definitely safe to say that states are in a much better fiscal situation than they anticipated,” said Erica MacKellar, a fiscal analyst with the National Conference of State …

Treasury to start paying out $350B in state and local aid
3 years, 7 months ago

Treasury to start paying out $350B in state and local aid

Associated Press  

The Treasury Department on Monday launched its $350 billion program to distribute aid to state and local governments, giving the U.S. economy an added boost as President Joe Biden sought to assure the country that stronger growth is coming. Administration officials said payments could begin to go out in the coming days to eligible governments, allowing state, local, territorial and …

US Treasury launches $350BN in state, local COVID aid
3 years, 8 months ago

US Treasury launches $350BN in state, local COVID aid

Al Jazeera  

The funds can be used by state, local, tribal and territorial governments to offer aid to unemployed workers and hard-hit communities and premium pay to essential workers. The United States Department of the Treasury launched access to $350bn in COVID-19 aid for state, local, tribal and territorial governments on Monday, releasing rules for allowable uses and a prohibition on tax …

Some states plan big spending with Biden’s aid, others wait
3 years, 8 months ago

Some states plan big spending with Biden’s aid, others wait

Associated Press  

Though still awaiting money from the latest federal coronavirus relief act, some governors and state lawmakers already are making plans to add the multibillion-dollar boon to their budgets. Unlike earlier coronavirus aid, states have broad leeway to use the money to plug budget holes, invest in certain infrastructure or address the “negative economic impacts” of the pandemic. A budget plan …

Some states plan big spending with Biden’s aid, others wait
3 years, 8 months ago

Some states plan big spending with Biden’s aid, others wait

LA Times  

In February, Atlanta Gov. Unlike earlier coronavirus aid, states have broad leeway to use the money to plug budget holes, invest in certain infrastructure or address the “negative economic impacts” of the pandemic. A budget plan passed by the Indiana Legislature allots $192 million in federal aid to pay off bonds for an Interstate 69 project and $900 million for …

California’s robust budget will get another $26 billion from new COVID-19 stimulus
3 years, 9 months ago

California’s robust budget will get another $26 billion from new COVID-19 stimulus

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom speaks about his 2021-22 budget proposal in January. California’s state budget, already poised to be flush with higher-than-expected tax revenues, will receive an additional cash infusion of $26 billion under the COVID-19 relief bill that President Biden signed Thursday, sparking demands for a wide array of new efforts to help those hit hardest by the pandemic. “With this …

States pass their own virus aid, not waiting on Washington
3 years, 10 months ago

States pass their own virus aid, not waiting on Washington

Associated Press  

— Not waiting for more federal help, states have been approving their own coronavirus aid packages, spending hundreds of millions of dollars to help residents and business owners devastated by the the pandemic’s economic fallout. “It’s great news that states are doing well, many seeing revenues higher than projected, and are able to help their citizens during this pandemic,” he …

Report: State, local aid needed to avert 4 million layoffs
4 years, 6 months ago

Report: State, local aid needed to avert 4 million layoffs

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — A new private sector report is warning anew of continuing damage to the economy if Washington doesn’t deliver several hundred billion dollars in budget relief to states and local governments amid the coronavirus pandemic. “For example, the $1 trillion in aid recently approved as part of the house’s HEROES Act would be enough to raise the eyebrows of …

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