Hunter
07/20/21
With millions of federal American Rescue Plan funds coming into Johnson County and its cities, officials are soliciting feedback on how to distribute the funds.
The Gazette reports that the county will get over $29 million. Iowa City will get over $18 million, with other city governments in the county set to get a total of nearly $8 million.
Both Johnson County and Iowa City already have received half of the funds, with smaller cities awaiting funds from the state.
During Monday’s joint entities meeting, representatives from the Fund Excluded Workers Coalition urged officials to give the money to their constituents. The coalition, which consists of area groups like the Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Catholic Worker House, and the Iowa Freedom Riders, is asking for all $54 million coming to the area from the federal government.
The paper outlined the Coalition’s plans for the money. It includes $20 million in direct cash assistance for up to 6000 excluded workers, undocumented immigrants, previously incarcerated people, cash economy workers and their families. Another $20 million would be used for hazard pay bonuses of $1000 each to those who make less than $15 an hour. Other funds would be used to purchase affordable and cooperative housing, expand public transit service, return stolen land to Black, Indigenous and People of Color, and fund BIPOC-led nonprofits who don’t primarily rely on government funding.
Iowa City City Manager Geoff Fruin says they plan to continue their online survey and in-person opportunities for community input, and present a compilation of the results to the City Council in the fall. Johnson County Supervisors chair Pat Heiden says they’re doing the same, and will be distributing a survey at next week’s county fair.
The Coalition conducted their own survey, with just under 150 people responding. Over 80 percent of those who participated said that they did not get a stimulus check.