County Executive Day Calls for Direct Federal Stimulus Funding for Counties

 July 28, 2020

Dear Congressional Leaders:

As the House of Representatives and the US Senate continue negotiations on the next stimulus bill, I am calling on Congress to ensure direct financial assistance from the federal government to counties. This funding should be distributed through a blended formula based on population and the number of COVID-19 infections.

Without federal aid, counties will be forced to make cuts that will worsen the economic recession and slow our hard-fought progress against the virus. Counties have been on the front line, leading the local response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. We are the boots on the ground delivering the services that people count on.

We appreciate the federal/county partnership that we have with Rockland’s congressional delegation and know that they have been extremely vocal in advocating for federal funding for states and local governments to offset the steep loss of revenues and increased costs associated with fighting COVID-19.

But across New York State, counties have already lost over $1 billion in sales tax revenue. We need the president and congressional leaders to come together this week and compromise on a plan that provides states, counties, and local governments with the direct and flexible federal aid they need to protect jobs and keep COVID-19 under control. This is a fiscal crisis that will significantly affect each and every person and business within Rockland County.

We in Rockland stand ready to lead our community through the rest of this crisis but we need resources from the federal government to do it. It is time to put politics aside and work together to do the right thing for the people of Rockland, New York State, and our entire nation.