Jacobs Supports Legislation to Provide Relief to Local Governments

(Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) has cosponsored the State Municipal Assistance for Response and Transition (SMART) Act.

 “Many local governments in Western New York did not meet the 500,000 resident threshold to receive coronavirus funding from the CARES Act. Without additional aid to state and local governments our hospitals, first responders, and schools are facing the risk of lay-offs and cuts to critical services they provide our communities,” Jacobs said.

The SMART Act would provide $500 billion for a Coronavirus Local Community Stabilization Fund to provide aid to state, local, and tribal governments. $16 billion of the funds would go to tribal governments. The other $484 billion would be distributed to localities in three tranches based on the population, relative revenue loss, and COVID-19 caseload in the state as of June 1st, 2020. States would be required to release at least one-third of these funds – totaling $161.3 billion – to municipal and county governments.

“Our local governments and services they provide are critical to rural communities. Ensuring they have the resources they need is a top priority during this pandemic. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation to support these communities, and I will continue to advocate for targeted funding for local governments in additional COVID-19 relief legislation,” Jacobs said.

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