Letter to the Hon. Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida, the Hon. Jose R. Oliva, Speaker of the Florida House, and the Hon. Bill Galvano, Florida Senator - Steube's COVID-19 Rural Aid Request Fulfilled by Governor DeSantis
Letter
Dear Governor DeSantis,
Thank you for your contributions and leadership during the COVID-19 crisis and the
crises associated with it. On behalf of the rural counties and small municipalities that I represent,
I urge you to distribute the funds appropriated to Florida through the CARES Act on a per capita
basis to counties and municipalities that did not receive direct Federal aid.
After the direct appropriation to local governments eligible for direct Federal aid, there is
approximately $1.27 billion left for distribution to local governments that were not eligible for
direct Federal aid. Under the terms of the CARES Act and clarified by Treasury guidance, this
money is up to our state to determine distribution. According to Treasury guidance from May 28,
"Consistent with the needs of all local governments for funding to address the public health
emergency, States should transfer funds to local governments with populations of 500,000 or
less, using as a benchmark the per capita allocation formula that governs payments to larger local
governments." Further, while the fund is not intended to be "revenue replacement," it may be
used for payroll support for the local employees trying to work through the COVID crisis.
While we understand that the State of Florida may change this allocation, it has been over
five weeks since the CARES Act was passed, and the local governments of rural counties and
municipalities have yet to receive their allotment. Our State should engage and communicate
with our rural communities to ensure that an equitable distribution is found and sent out as soon
as possible.
Our local governments are on the front lines in ensuring that the quality of life of our
citizens are maintained through the economic crisis caused by COVID-19. Ensuring that local
governments do not add to the unemployment roll and maintain the everyday service used by
residents is key to ensuring continuity and enabling a return to normalcy as the State reopens. I
trust that you will allow our local communities to effectively serve their role in this venture.
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