COVID-19 relief package will send $100 million to local governments in Manatee County
Washington’s federal stimulus package includes just over $100 million for local governments in Manatee County, giving municipalities another chance to support residents and remedy budget shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion spending package Thursday afternoon. Even ahead of his approval, local officials began bracing themselves for a huge boost in federal funds.
According to Karen Stewart, Manatee’s interim county administrator, county staff have already been briefed on the contents of the bill and the amount of money they stand to receive. But there are still many unknowns regarding how the money can be spent or distributed.
However, unlike the $2.2 trillion CARES Act signed by President Donald Trump in 2020, Biden’s American Rescue Plan allows the money to be spent on local infrastructure improvements.
“We’re excited to get $78 million and are excited to get a plan in front of the board,” Stewart said in an interview with the Bradenton Herald on Thursday afternoon. “It’s unprecedented, but we’re working on it.”
Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown echoed Stewart’s comments, noting that the city of Bradenton is still working to figure out how it can spend those funds. Overall, Brown said the money is expected to lead to huge improvements for local residents.
“That’s going to help. That’s going to let us do some things that maybe we would’ve never been able to do,” Brown said.
The prospect of spending those federal dollars on infrastructure is a welcome one, said Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth. She said she hopes to come up with a list of potential projects to run by the Holmes Beach City Commission at a later date.
“We’ve got to find out the details. I know we want more street resurfacing, but resiliency is our No. 1 thing,” Titsworth explained. “We’ve got to see what we can use for and then get it in from of the commission, but the biggest thing is dealing with our rising waters and storm drainage.”
According to estimates calculated by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, here’s how much each municipality in Manatee County will receive:
- Manatee County Government: $78 million
- City of Bradenton: $11 million
- City of Palmetto: $5.7 million
- Town of Longboat Key: $3 million
- City of Holmes Beach: $1.8 million
- City of Anna Maria: $740,432
- City of Bradenton Beach: $537,464
The American Rescue Plan also includes $1,400 in direct payments to adults who make less than $75,000, money for COVID-19 vaccination efforts and an extension of unemployment benefits.
This story was originally published March 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
