$29B for Texas cities, counties in Dem bill
Houston could get nearly $2B if package OK’d
WASHINGTON — Cities and counties across Texas would get more than $29 billion from the $3 trillion coronavirus relief package House Democrats want to pass as soon as Friday.
That includes more than $1.7 billion to Houston and nearly $1 billion to San Antonio as both cities stare down massive budget holes caused by the outbreak. Harris County's funding could top $2.6 billion and Bexar County could be on tap for more than $1 billion, as well. Texas, meanwhile, could get nearly $35.5 billion from a separate pool of funding to aid states.
That's all according to estimates compiled by the Congressional Research Service, Congress’ public policy institute. The estimates, which cover the rest of 2020 and 2021, are based on some factors not yet known, such as unemployment and infection rates, so they're not exact.
House Democrats are sharing the city-by-city numbers as they try to overcome growing opposition from the Republican-led Senate to the 1,800-page stimulus bill, which is replete with partisan Democratic priorities. It provides $3.6 billion in elections funding as they push to expand mail-in voting during the outbreak, as well as $25 billion to bolster the U.S. Postal Service. House leaders aim to vote on it this week.
Republicans say Democrats are playing politics with the bill, which includes a slew of things they oppose, such as creating a special enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he’s not sure it’s time yet for another sweeping relief package and he would rather respond with a more targeted approach.
At the top of the Democrats’ list is sending $875 billion to states, cities and counties to help plug huge budget deficits.
Cities can’t use the aid that Congress has offered so far to close those budget holes and cities across the country, including Houston and San Antonio, are starting to lay off employees and cut programs.
The bill would also for the first time offer coronavirus relief aid to smaller cities, as past relief packages have only directed funding to cities with 500,000 or more residents, meaning suburbs could get tens of millions. New Braunfels, for instance, could get nearly $30 million. Sugar Land could get more than $58.5 million.