FRESH HOPE
“This is a whole-of-country effort. The president’s deploying our entire government to do its part. The American people are going to have to do their part, too.” Federal stimulus bill will bring billions to state’s cities, towns
More than $10 billion will soon flow into Connecticut as part of the federal government’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, including funds for the state government, for towns and cities and for individual residents.
Here is what to know about how the bill, signed into law Thursday by President Joe Biden, will affect Connecticut.
Where will the $10 billion go?
The relief money breaks down into several categories.
About $2.6 billion to Connecticut’s state government, plus another $142 million for capital projects.
About $870 million in municipal aid to Connecticut cities and towns.
An additional $1.8 billion in educational aid, including $1.1 billion for K-12 schools, plus funds for child care, the Head Start program and higher education.
About $691 million to Connecticut counties, which, because the state lacks county government, will be dispersed to municipalities in proportion to their populations.
In total, that makes more than $6 billion for Connecticut, not counting the funds that will go directly to state residents in the form of stimulus checks, unemployment payouts and more. Altogether, Rep. John Larson said this week, the money flowing into the state is expected to exceed $10 billion.
When will those checks arrive?
The stimulus payments to individuals — the third round of payments since the pandemic began — will begin arriving to direct deposit accounts as soon as this weekend, the White House said Thursday afternoon. Checks sent by mail will arrive in coming weeks.
For most people the amount will be $1,400 and for those eligible, there will be payments for each of their children.
To qualify for the full $1,400, a single person must have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or below. For heads of household, adjusted gross income must be $112,500 or below, and for married couples filing jointly the income must be $150,000 or below.
People who earn more than $80,000, or couples with incomes above $160,000, will not receive a payment.
What if I’m unemployed?
If you are currently receiving an unemployment check, the new law provides more help. The bill extends $300 weekly emergency unemployment benefits until early September.
How much will each place receive?
Every municipality in Connecticut will receive some funds as part of the relief package, from its largest cities to its tiniest towns.
According to estimates shared by Larson’s office, Hartford stands to receive the largest sum of any Connecticut town or city: $92.6 million in municipal aid, plus another $127.3 million in education funding, along with millions more from the allocation for counties. NewHaven will receive $94.8 million in municipal aid and $90 million in educational funding, while Bridgeport will receive $85.2 million in municipal aid and $127.3 million in educational funding.
Hartford’s mayor, Luke Bronin, called the relief package “enormously important.” The funds, he said Thursday, “will allow communities to respond to the immediate crisis that’s still in front of us and the profound needs in the community, while also, we hope, letting us recover faster and more fully.”
Though the money is directed disproportionately to larger municipalities with more vulnerable populations, smaller and wealthier municipalities stand to cash in as well. Glastonbury, for example, will receive just shy of $5 million in municipal and educational aid, while Avon will get about $2.5 million.
Even the town of Hartland, the smallest in Hartford County with a population of about 2,100, will take in about $270,000.
How will towns and cities spend money?
The relief bill spells out three intended categories on which towns and cities might spend the money they’re receiving: responding to the COVID-19 emergency; providing premium pay to essential employees or grants to their employers; and funding government services affected by loss of revenue during the pandemic.
“I see this money almost as disaster response,” Rep. Joe Courtney said Thursday. “Just trying to maintain normal levels of service, when these communities have not been bystanders, they’ve been right in the thick of it.”
Though officials say they aren’t yet clear on which expenses may count as COVID-related and how the federal government defines lost revenue — questions that should be resolved in the coming weeks — they expect the relief money to have wide use.
John Elsesser, town manager of Coventry, said the funds, which must be spent by 2024, may go toward improved ventilation in the town’s schools, recreational programs whose revenue dried up last year and temporary staffing for ambulances, among other things.
“We believe this is going to greatly dig out of a hole, like other businesses have had to dig out of a hole, to move forward,” Elsesser said. “The money right to the localities is really, really a blessing that will help us offset losing programs that are important to the community.”
Bronin said he hopes use the relief money both to address immediate needs and to promote economic development in Hartford.
Max Reiss, spokesperson for Gov. Ned Lamont, said the governor hopes towns and cities will put the federal funds toward longer-term initiatives.
“He doesn’t want to see 169 little projects used by the cities and town for this stuff,” Reiss said. “He wants to see investments that are long-term and aimed at growth and growing grand lists.”