Federal aid offers Ulster County “exceptional opportunity,” Ryan says
KINGSTON, N.Y. » Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said Thursday that the $34.44 million in COVID-19 relief money coming from the federal government provides “an exceptional opportunity” for the county not just to recoup its losses from the past year but also address some of the county’s needs that the pandemic laid bare.
Ryan said the county still is waiting for more details about the aid and how it is will be implemented, but he said the bill that President Biden signed Thursday was written to be broad and flexible for counties.
He said the county only needs to
“show the funds were used to address the negative effects of COVID.”
Ryan said he envisions the county using the federal funding to recoup lost revenues, such as the sales and tourism taxes, to offset COVID-related expenses not reimbursable, and to cover a third broad category he called “equitable recovery.”
“I think it’s really important we be strategic about it and that we be creative about it in ways that we have been in our other COVID responses, especially that third category of really driving equitable recovery,” he said. “Those are once-ina-decade, once-in-a-generation opportunities.”
Ryan said the county could, with that third “bucket,” address housing needs, the lack of reliable broadband internet service and the mental health and addiction crises, all exacerbated by the pandemic.
“These are some of the things in my mind that we should look at so we come out of the pandemic in a better place,” the executive said.
Ryan said he will work with the county’s legislative leadership and the community to identify projects in which the county should invest the money.
“I think we need to have discussion and agreement on how we make best use of what is a very significant amount of one-time relief,” he said. “What I think is critical is that we see this as ... [an] exceptional opportunity we are being provided to make investments we might not have otherwise make.
“I don’t want us to think of this as primarily as operating funds, but to think of it as investment,” he said.
Ryan said his administration will look to the county’s capital plan as well as recommendations in the “Ulster 2040” plan and the Housing Action plan to identify potential projects.
Ulster County will receive two payments, totaling $17.22 million each, through the American Rescue Plan. Ryan said he expects the first payment in the late spring and the second no more than 12 months later.
Despite the influx of federal money, Ryan said he
still is concerned about the potential loss of state funding. Before the relief bill was passed, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was warning of a potential 20% cut in state aid to counties.
But now, “there’s no reasonable reason or excuse to withhold that state aid for any of critical programs given the amount of direct relief the state is getting [from the federal relief package],” Ryan said. “I’ll be very upset and disappointed if there’s state aid reductions after that relief.”
New York state is to receive $12.1 billion in federal aid.
Kingston Mayor Steve Noble said Thursday that he and city Comptroller John Tuey will create a “comprehensive Kingston Economic Recovery Plan” for using the $19.9 million in federal relief money the city will receive. He said the plan will incorporate community input and build upon existing community projects, while also supporting new initiatives that support recovery from the pandemic.
The federal relief bill allows cities to recoup costs they incurred and revenues they lost due to the pandemic; support workers performing essential services; and make necessary investments in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.