The Franklin County commissioners today joined with local leaders from around the nation in calling on Congress to include monetary support for local governments in future COVID-19 legislative relief packages. Recent federal legislation and additional bills under consideration provide tools and funding for hospitals and local governments, but counties need additional and flexible resources to respond to this unprecedented epidemic while managing budgets and lost revenue.
On Saturday, the National Association of Counties (NACo), the National League of Cities, and the United States Conference of Mayors
called jointly for the immediate passage of dedicated, flexible relief to local governments, saying “We are working at the county and municipal level as partners to provide unique and non-duplicative services to protect public health and economic stability, despite significant losses of revenue.”
“Local governments are on the front lines of this fight,” said Board of Commissioners President John O’Grady. “Departments of health, community partners, emergency management and social safety net agencies, and safety forces are all rising to the occasion to support our residents and make plans for the economic recovery, but resources are falling just as needs are rising.”
In recent weeks, the Franklin County Commissioners have allocated more than $10 million in direct responses to the pandemic, including contracting to set up an overflow surge hospital facility at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, funding loans to small businesses, and making grants to partners such as the Urban League, the United Way, and the Ohio Hispanic Coalition for them to assist their constituents. They expect that more aid will be required, but those costs are just a fraction of what the county stands to lose due to the pause in the economy.
“County budgets in Ohio are largely made up of sales tax revenue,” said Commissioner Marilyn Brown. “NACo is predicting that sales taxes may be down by 25% this year, and for Franklin County, that would amount to $75 million dollars. This is going to leave a hole in county budgets across the state that will result in cuts to services our residents rely on.”
In all, NACo predicts more than $144 billion in impacts to county budgets across the nation, noting that large counties like Franklin will see the greatest increases in costs. Counties help to run more than 1,900 local health departments across the nation, nearly 1,000 hospitals, more than 3,000 police and sheriff’s departments, and make nearly $300 billion in annual investments in public safety, health, and human services.
“Our local congressional delegation has been very responsive throughout this pandemic, and I know they have heard our calls for more assistance to local governments,” said Commissioner Kevin L. Boyce. “We need the whole of Congress and the administration to hear us, though, or the consequences will be dire. Investments in local government are investments in Americans,” he said. “And it shouldn’t be a partisan issue.”