Bridgeport to receive millions for COVID costs
Funds come from Connecticut’s share of CARES Act
BRIDGEPORT — The city will receive over $5.4 million in federal aid through the state to help reimburse millions of dollars worth of expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Ned Lamont’s office announced the distribution of the grants to cities and towns Thursday, with Bridgeport’s City Council expected to vote to formally accept the money — $5,471,000 — at its regularly-scheduled meeting Monday.
“We appreciate it. Thank you, governor,” Ganim said in a statement Friday evening. “Cities and towns are struggling, providing education and everything that must be done for so many groups and individuals in our community as we respond to their needs during the public health crisis.”
“Considering Bridgeport’s been hit reasonably hard by the virus, this is good,” said Councilman Scott Burns, a co-chairman of the budget committee.
The funds come from Connecticut’s share of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act federal lawmakers passed earlier this year.
Since the coronavirus struck in midMarch, local governments have had to shoulder numerous unanticipated costs for: overtime to healthcare, emergency response, and sanitation workers; masks, gloves and other personal protective gear for employees and residents; technology to allow staff to work
“Considering Bridgeport’s been hit reasonably hard by the virus, this is good.” Councilman Scott Burns
from and educators to teach from home; refurbished public offices and buildings; public-awareness campaigns; materials to enforce the closure of parks and other public spaces; and food and shelter to suddenly job-less residents or those who were homeless before the coronavirus-caused economic crisis.
As of July, Bridgeport was tracking around $2 million worth of COVID expenses .
While municipalities are expected to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for much of their pandemic costs, Lamont’s administration agreed to step in and help, particularly given the lengthy delays in federal reimbursement.
According to Connecticut’s Office of Policy and Management — the state’s budget department — the money currently being released by the state is based in part on actual expenses submitted by local governments and on a formula that involves a city’s or town’s density, population and total amount of taxable properties (its grand list).
Given those three f actors, Bridgeport, as Connecticut’s largest municipality, stood to receive a fairly healthy share of the CARES Act grant. The city has also been slammed by COVID and a week ago surpassed 10,000 cumulative cases — the most of any community.
This is hardly the only coronavirus relief Bridgeport has received this year. City schools were provided laptops for distancelearning and Ganim’s administration after delays recently began accepting applications for $ 1 million in federally-funded business grants.
Lamont on Thursday said he hoped that a potential new federal relief package would similarly take into account state and local needs: “We remain hopeful there will be additional federal support to help our local governments through this difficult time.”