Gov. Abbott awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to a little-known technology company without much legislative oversight. Legislators on both sides are concerned about transparency and citizen protection.
How safe is it to make payments at your local government office during the pandemic? Offices can limit cards, cash and checks from changing hands—and help slow the spread of COVID-19—by taking these steps.
States face revenue shortfalls exceeding 20 percent. Cities and counties have furloughed hundreds of thousands of workers. Already, public employment has fallen more than during the Great Recession.
With an expanded role, they could serve as an efficient conduit between local governments of all sizes and federal financial resources for revenue shortfalls and infrastructure.
Officials in Macomb and Oakland counties, Mich., have announced that portions of their CARES Act money will be allotted for local governments and small business support. With approval, the money could be granted by June.
Spokane, Wash., received $23.4 million from the federal government to maintain the city’s bus system. But officials don’t think that will be enough to offset the challenges that the public transit system has been facing.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the funds to aid in coronavirus testing and contact tracing efforts. The state needs at least 670 professional tracers, but only has 100 so far.
The Federal Communications Commission awarded several Alabama health groups grant money to expand their telemedicine services. “It’s horrendous that this has occurred, but it has put telehealth in the forefront.”
Gov. Newsom’s proposed budget would save the state $2.8 billion in the next fiscal year but it would mean that all state workers, including the governor and his staff, would receive a 10 percent pay cut.
California must grapple with a budget deficit that could amount to more than $54 billion by next July. In the short term, there are several budget areas the state can pull from. But the long-term solution is uncertain.
The CARES Act relief will be spent on things like mobile testing sites and technology upgrades. But it could also help food insecurity and business loans. “We have the flexibility to address what we need to address.”