A judge’s view

Wood offers up a CARES Act funding proposal

It is reflective of just how controversial Washington County’s use of $4.5 million in federal covid-19 funding has become that County Judge Joseph Wood recently issued a formal statement articulating his perspective.

So far, the county has hardly touched the money, which arrived last fall from the $2.2 trillion, federal Coronavirus

Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act that was passed a year ago by Congress as an economic stimulus measure. The Washington County Quorum Court did allocate about $176,000 of it for the purchase of a body scanner that, according to Sheriff Tim Helder, will reduce direct contact between his jailers and those being booked into the jail.

So far, though, Republicans on the Quorum Court have resisted spending the money, particularly on direct aid to county residents affected by the pandemic as requested by Democrats on the panel. The county did receive a separate $7.1 million grant to help county residents with rental assistance, so it’s certainly unfair to say it has done nothing to help those in need.

Advocates for spending more of the $4.5 million allocation say the county, which hasn’t suffered the covid-related economic hit initially feared, shouldn’t profit off the pandemic. Other needs, they say, include feeding people whose incomes have been reduced or eliminated as a result of the pandemic, or aiding small businesses harmed economic in the last year.

Others advocate not spending the money, in part because of uncertain county government needs in the future. It seems some also are adamant that county government ought to keep its functions limited, rejecting proposals to funnel the money directly to county residents in what Wood described as a “benevolent government endeavor.”

On March 29, the county judge issued a statement noting that 13 Washington County cities also received a combined $7 million from the CARES Act. He proposed that the Quorum Court set aside a portion of its CARES Act funding to be used as a matching grant with cities to address the emergency needs of local residents.

Whether that sort of approach has merit, we’re don’t know. It will be interesting to see how many of those cities are willing to use their CARES Act funding in the way Wood envisions. It, too, may depend on how much actual need each city has for the funding internally for costs already incurred. But, if they’re like the county and the money is effectively a windfall, it makes sense that at least a portion of it ought to be allocated to meet community needs.

One can’t be terribly surprised that Wood remains focused on a limited government approach he’s applied since he was elected. Through his proposal, he’s relying on municipal governments to step up to meet local needs and advocating the Quorum Court become partners in that. Wood didn’t say if he’d laid any groundwork with the cities to actually garner support for his plan, but perhaps we’ll see at a future Quorum Court meeting.

It’s certainly logical to suggest cities might have a clearer idea of what’s needed among their residents, but it’s a little confusing as to how residents of unincorporated areas would be assisted. County government is their local government.

Just sitting on most of that money doesn’t feel right, especially when it’s likely the county will get more from the recently passed American Rescue Plan. More decisions will be necessary in the future and, no, boosting the coffers of county government isn’t much of a plan.

We credit Wood for stepping out with a proposal that can be considered by the Quorum Court. Having a county judge publicly propose an idea is pretty hard for Quorum Court members to ignore. It’s a great way to further encourage a public conversation about local needs and the use of a significant amount of the public’s money.