Rep. Rouda Leads Orange County Congressional Delegation Request for Consideration of Broadening Locality Funding Eligibility
Laguna Beach, CA - Today, Representative Harley Rouda (CA-48), along with Reps. Cisneros (CA-39), Correa (CA-46), Levin (CA-49), Lowenthal (CA-47), Porter (CA-45), and Sánchez (CA-38), sent a letter to congressional leadership regarding the lack of direct assistance to small and mid-size cities through the Coronavirus Relief Fund in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
“There is not a single city in Orange County that would qualify for direct local coronavirus funding assistance due to arbitrary population stipulations,” said Rouda. “While our state and County would receive aid, our cities wouldn't see a dollar of the $150 billion allocated to the Coronavirus Relief Fund.”
“Our cities desperately need resources to keep communities safe and support struggling small businesses. The letter requests that congressional leadership make all localities eligible for this essential aid — not just localities with a population larger than 500,000.”
“The National League of Cities applauds Congressman Harley Rouda and his delegation colleagues for their leadership in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and for helping local governments be a larger part of solution in these extraordinary times,” said Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and Executive Director of the National League of Cities (NLC). “The direct federal aid that Congressman Rouda is seeking for cities, towns, and villages is urgently needed to continue protecting public health and assisting residents and small businesses on the economic margins from further decline.”
Support from Orange County city leaders:
“The City of Laguna Niguel is on the front lines of this pandemic. Our staff is working tirelessly with a reduced workforce to provide essential services to the community. The fiscal implications of this pandemic to local governments are astronomical. We need Federal assistance for cities who are dealing directly with COVID-19 and the funds need to go to local governments and not be sent to any other entity for distribution,” said Laurie Davies, Mayor of Laguna Niguel.
"During this ongoing and evolving health emergency, sales tax and hotel bed tax receipts are considerably diminished. City public safety overtime costs are expected to increase, and our residents and businesses are hurting. Cities like Costa Mesa that have been forced to shut down facilities need direct federal assistance to proactively protect our residents, to backstop emergency expenditures that are critical to public safety, and to provide assurance to residents and businesses that necessary services will not necessarily be curtailed due to the pandemic. Costa Mesa will be facing a deep budget gap in the near future that will require difficult remedies to address. Please ensure that Costa Mesa and other cities in the same situation are assisted as we take proactive action locally to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Katrina Foley, Mayor of Costa Mesa.
“We are all in this together and the impact is the same everywhere. I hope Fountain Valley is able to get all the resources we need to get us through this,” said Cheryl Brothers, Mayor of Fountain Valley.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is going to have severe economic impacts on cities large and small. I strongly support Congressman Rouda’s efforts to have future relief bills include federal assistance for cities of less than 500,000 people. This assistance will be crucial to the efforts of smaller cities to continue to provide public safety and other essential services to residents,” said Bob Whalen, Mayor of Laguna Beach.
“Garden Grove needs federal financial resources to ensure our city and community can survive COVID-19 and be in a position to thrive after the initial public health threat. I thank Congressman Rouda, and the entire Orange County delegation, for their leadership on this issue,” said Scott Stiles, City Manager of Garden Grove.
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