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St. Louis BOA continue debate distribution of federal COVID funds

Tuesday morning, Mayor Tishaura Jones raised an issue regarding President Lewis Reed’s plan

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Board of Aldermen Tuesday continued debating the city’s COVID-19 relief package funding.

Mayor Tishaura Jones wants $5 million, a relatively small portion of the funding, to go to up to 10,000 families who qualify for assistance.

Aldermanic President Lewis Reed is proposing $33-million go to general economic development on the city’s north side.

Tuesday morning, Jones’ administration raised a red flag, with an opinion from the city attorney saying Reed’s plan does not meet federal guidelines for ARPA, the American Rescue Plan Act.

“The city counselor can send us opinions all he wants to about whether this is illegal, or not,” Ward 1 Alderwoman Sharon Tyus said. “Unless he actually goes and files a lawsuit, which he doesn’t do. If I’m the mayor if I think something is illegal, I’m going to veto this bill.”

“I do want to stress that issue, Mr. President,” Ward 21 Alderman John Collins-Muhammad said. “The board of aldermen is following the protocol and the procedure set forth by the U.S. Dept. of Treasury.”

Board members discussed Jones’ desire to include up to $5 million in one-time $500 payments to as many as 10,000 St. Louis residents.

“We have a city of close to 300,000, as you pointed out — 280,000,” Ward 20 Alderwoman Cara Spencer said. “Twenty-two percent are estimated to live at or below poverty, which would put us at about 60,000 or 65,000 people who could be eligible for these funds.”

There was also discussion about who would process the applications, whether 10,000 is enough, and who is going to pay for the application process.

“Are we going to just do this for free, then, or are the banking institutions and the distribution channels without cost to the city?” Spencer said.

Collins-Muhammad responded.

“Well, it will be handled through the department of human services,” he said. “If there is any ongoing cost, the department of human services is already budgeted to handle this particular program.”

There is also a discussion about making a part of the COVID relief funding available to the unhoused population and how to go about helping homeless people apply.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries

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