CALL TO ACTION: Make sure Kentucky Counties are included in the next federal funding package

Urgent call to action – please contact your congressional delegation now to urge support for direct assistance to counties.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has informed us that a proposal is being forwarded in Congress that would provide $29.5 billion in direct funding to stabilize county governments across the United States. It is being referred to as the COVID-19 3.5 plan.

At this point, no federal legislation has been passed that provides direct relief funding for counties with a population of less than 500,000 and none of the federal aid already passed can be used to replace lost revenues.

If passed as proposed, Kentucky counties stand to receive nearly $400 million, based on NACo estimates ranging from $186,000 to more than $60 million per county. A majority of counties in Kentucky are estimated to receive more than $1 million each. This funding is absolutely critical as we shift to recovery efforts.

See NACo's county-by-county breakdown for Kentucky's projected payments HERE. Note that these are preliminary estimates.

This proposal is a part of a larger $150 billion proposal for states, cities and counties, including:

• $80 billion for states and the District of Columbia
• $29.5 billion for counties
• $29.5 billion for cities, towns, townships and villages
• $11 billion for tribal governments and territories

KACo supports proposals that provides direct aid to all 120 Kentucky counties. A strong push is needed to encourage our Kentucky Congressional delegation to take action now, rather than waiting for another financial relief package later this summer.

Thank you for responding to this CALL TO ACTION and for your leadership during this challenging time.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to KACo’s Legislative Director, Shellie Hampton, Shellie.Hampton@kaco.org.

TALKING POINTS

Talking points to share with your members of Congress include:

• Direct federal aid for county governments should be a priority - counties are on the frontlines working to protect and serve our local communities.
• Investing in counties is a "win-win" investment since counties are often one of the largest employers locally and provide essential public health, public safety and economic recovery support for unemployed workers, local businesses and nonprofits.
• Counties are already experiencing revenue losses and will see significant revenue losses through FY21.
• The current COVID-19 3.5 proposal would provide $150 billion for state and local governments, including nearly $400 million for Kentucky’s counties.
• At this point, no federal legislation has been passed that provides direct relief funding for counties with a population of less than 500,000 and none of the federal aid already passed can be used to replace lost revenues.