USCM requests $250 billion in localized aid to fight virus, maintain city services, help workers and local businesses

The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) has sent an urgent request for resources to U.S. House and Senate leaders, as lawmakers deliberate on the next phase of the federal response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Mayors and local officials are asking lawmakers to prioritize a local approach to distributing resources. In a letter signed by the USCM leadership, mayors are seeking a total of $250 billion covering a wide range of critical activities needed to stem the spread of the virus and bolster city services and economies. The request includes resources for public health departments, displaced workers, small business support, food insecurity and substance abuse programs, as well as existing federal programs such as the Community Development Block Grant and Head Start.

In the letter to lawmakers, the mayors write:

"The White House has stated that its ‘All of America’ approach will be ‘locally executed’ and ‘federally supported.’ To that end, we respectfully request that $250 billion in flexible, emergency fiscal assistance be allocated directly to cities by formula as quickly as possible. This will empower the nation's mayors to immediately take the bold actions necessary to protect the American public from both the pandemic and the subsequent economic fallout.

"Direct fiscal assistance to cities will ensure that mayors can continue to provide vital public services (including public safety, water, sewer, solid waste and municipal electricity) and that local governments are not forced to make cuts that further exacerbate the economic impact of this crisis. This funding will support those most critically impacted by the crisis - financially vulnerable residents, small businesses on the margins and community-based organizations - and will protect public health, human services and the economy in this extraordinary time."

Among examples of uses for the funding includes providing funding to public transit systems to cover lost farebox revenues and to the nation's airports.

A full list of funding examples can be found on the USCM website.