https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Economy


Photo by Andy Feliciotti on Unsplash

Article

Cities and counties call for swift resolution to Congressional coronavirus gridlock

Cities and counties call for swift resolution to Congressional coronavirus gridlock

  • Written by Derek Prall
  • 10th August 2020

With negotiations on the next federal coronavirus relief package stalled in congress, President Donald Trump issued a stopgap measure most notably to extend unemployment benefits and defer payroll taxes. It’s unclear whether the order will hold up in court, but in the meantime local governments are begging for an end to the congressional stalemate.

The National Association of Counties (NACo), for one, is calling for responsible federal relief and the assurance that federal resources will reach county governments on the front lines of the public health pandemic.

“As White House officials and leaders of both parties in the House and Senate continue negotiations on a bipartisan coronavirus relief package agreement, America’s counties have a simple message: a deal without aid for state and local governments is a bad deal,” NACo Executive Director Matthew Chase said in a statement issued by the organization. “America’s 3.6 million county employees – hospital workers, first responders, public health and human services officials, law enforcement personnel, coroners and medical examiners, and other county employees – are delivering vital services to our residents.”

He added, “As we fulfill our vast frontline responsibilities, our public finances – which provide the needed resources to keep our communities safe – are taking a major hit. The vast majority of counties have received inadequate or no federal aid, and our budget impacts grow deeper every day. The COVID-19 pandemic could lead to massive budgetary effects for county governments and local taxpayers, with as much as $202 billion in lost revenue and increased expenditures through FY2021.”

Officials at the National League of Cities (NLC) echoed this sentiment at the municipal level.

“America’s cities, towns and villages have been on the frontline of supporting our nation’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic since the beginning, and in protecting our fellow citizens, have incurred severe budget shortages that impact essential public services, private sector growth and job creation. Failing to address the budget crunches our municipalities are experiencing will deal a major blow to the already fragile national economic recovery,” NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony said in a statement, adding:

“Our hometowns are not a talking point – they represent the whole of America, regardless of political affiliation.   We urge both the White House and Congress to proceed with negotiations, as millions of Americans in cities of all shapes and sizes will be negatively impacted if direct federal aid is not provided to the thousands of communities that have been left behind. Our national leaders need to move past the partisan rhetoric and come to an agreement to stop the financial decimation our communities are facing.”

NLC launched the Cities Are Essential campaign in May, calling on the federal government to ensure there is flexible, direct funding relief provided to America’s municipalities, and NACo’s coronavirus online hub includes county level examples of response efforts, interactive maps and analyses of federal actions. Click here for more information.

Tags: Economy News Economy & Finance News Article

Most Recent


  • Philanthropic group to launch assistance portal for local admins navigating federal bureaucracy
    A joint venture announced Tuesday by a group of philanthropic organizations—in collaboration with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities (NLC) and Results for America—seeks to help small and mid-sized communities secure their piece of the $550 billion in funding available for local governments navigating federal bureaucracy. The digital portal will launch […]
  • Report: Nearly 95 percent of America's mayors face harassment, threats and violence
    In today’s divided socioeconomic landscape—one that’s rife with political angst—harassment of mayors has become commonplace, especially against minority leaders. Women mayors and mayors of color face more frequent and acute incidents of harassment and violence, according to new research from the advocacy organizations Equity Agenda and the Mayors Innovation Project. Nearly half of all women mayors […]
  • Report: Almost half of public sector retirees don't touch their retirement plans for a decade
    Once retired, nearly half of public sector employees aren’t taking any action with their defined contribution retirement plan funds for at least a decade, according to research from Mission Square Research Institute, which included the analysis of more than 100,000 public service data records. In their first ten years of retirement, researchers found that 48 […]
  • budget
    Four steps to ensure your budget prioritizes equity
    When you think of municipal budgets, the first thing that comes to mind is likely numbers. Many rows and many columns of numbers. But veteran municipal leaders know that successful budgets are about far more than numbers—they’re about quality of life and opportunities for every person in a community. For this reason, the budget process […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Prioritizing rapid restore leads to stronger ransomware attack recovery
  • Rethinking the ways cities can invest in vital neighborhoods
  • How to innovate and invest on a budget in state and local IT services
  • Treasury Department launches Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to deliver $350 billion in funding

White papers


The PIO’s Ultimate Guide to Social Media

16th May 2022

Gain Greater Visibility Into Your Public Works Fleet

16th May 2022

Arizona Arts Center Meets Rapid Deadline with Hundreds of Thousands in Savings

26th April 2022
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

The MSP downstream cyberthreat paradox: Understanding the city and county connection dlvr.it/SQYVjs

17th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Philanthropic group to launch assistance portal for local admins navigating federal bureaucracy dlvr.it/SQY16G

17th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Report: Nearly 95 percent of America’s mayors face harassment, threats and violence dlvr.it/SQTn2z

16th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

The PIO’s Ultimate Guide to Social Media dlvr.it/SQTdCK

16th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Gain Greater Visibility Into Your Public Works Fleet dlvr.it/SQSqXG

16th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Report: Almost half of public sector retirees don’t touch their retirement plans for a decade dlvr.it/SQKMjp

13th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Four steps to ensure your budget prioritizes equity dlvr.it/SQJgZz

13th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Victims of Surfside condo collapse settle for nearly $1B in class action lawsuit dlvr.it/SQJffb

13th May 2022

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X