Sinema requests specific guidance on how Arizona can ensure cities and towns with less than 500,000 residents receive their fair share of coronavirus funding
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema urged Treasury Secretary Mnuchin to quickly issue guidance on how Arizona can allocate coronavirus funding for counties and cities with less than 500,000 residents and ensure rural communities get their fair share of coronavirus-relief funds.
“I’ve heard directly from mayors and county leaders across Arizona that they need funding now to keep their communities safe and healthy. The Treasury Department must ensure Arizona’s smaller communities receive their fair share of funding so all Arizonans have the economic support needed during this public health crisis,” said Sinema.
Sinema’s letter comes after hearing direct concerns from over 200 mayors and county leaders that they are forecasting revenue declines of over 20% due to the coronavirus pandemic, severely limiting their ability to provide essential services to their residents. In her letter, Sinema is specifically calling for the Treasury Department to issue guidance that makes clear cities and towns with less than 500,000 residents can receive CARES Act coronavirus funding, ensures states take unique needs of rural communities into consideration while distributing funds, acknowledges indirect effects of coronavirus on smaller towns and cities, and using up-to-date population counts when allocating funds.
Sinema is also calling for additional resources for states in the coronavirus-relief package – including financial relief that can be accessed directly by towns, cities, counties, and Tribal communities with less than 500,000 residents.
Click HERE to read Sinema’s letter.