The response to the coronavirus has caused severe economic hardship across the board, but the Guilford County Board of Commissioners has learned that the county is getting “a great blessing” – the federal government is sending $93 million to the county to use in ways the county sees fit to respond to COVID-19 and help repair the economic damage caused by the various stay-at-home orders.
Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Jeff Phillips stated in an email on Saturday, April 25, that County Manager Marty Lawing and other county officials are studying exactly how that relief money can be spent, as well as the most effective ways to put it to use.
“Marty and county staff are in the process of carefully reviewing the federal guidance for the potential uses for the federal relief funds,” Phillips wrote of the $93 million that the county can certainly use.
“More work needs to be done to gain better clarity,” Phillips added, “but as I understand their early assessment the funds are intended to address some of the specific needs that have arisen (or may arise) out of the significant financial challenges the county is facing related to the COVID-19 public health crisis.”
The money is part of the federal CARES Act – the federal government’s coronavirus economic relief plan passed earlier this month.
Lawing said the money is meant for “necessary expenditures” incurred during the pandemic, and it is to be used for items not in the current county budget and for expenditures made between March 1 and the end of the year.
“Indications are that it will be a direct payment to Guilford County from the US Department of Treasury,” Lawing said.
According to Phillips, the current Board of Commissioners always thinks very carefully before it spends money, and this $93 million will be given the same respect.
Phillips wrote: “The availability of these federal monies is obviously a great blessing and we intend to be very thoughtful, as always, about how we may appropriate the funds as we consider some of the more significant and unusual financial burdens facing many of our citizens along with the dramatically strained and limited resources of the county.”
This will be very interesting, watching how our current board spends this windfall . It is my hope and prayer that the board is 100% transparent when doling out our grandchildren’s money.
That is a buttload of cash!! I can imagine all the jokers in Guilford County just lickin’ their chops figuring all sorts of ways to rationalize why they deserve a juicy slice….. But, hey, let’s get serious, now. I hope these funds are used wisely to do the most good help mitigate the damages f R om the pandemic and do not morph into political crony payola.
We will never hear about where this money is spent. Sadly…
This is why they want to open N C to get the funds from the government so much corruption greed and wickedness. Everyone is trying to use the covid 19 to make a dollar it’s not about the money it’s about the people everyone
I have a suggestion: how about they just reduce our tax rate? That would benefit everyone, without having the cash diluted and squandered by the govt? On a separate note, according to what I have read, the Federal Govt has spent around 3.5 Trillion dollars on coronovirus relief programs, with more in the works right now. Take that 3.5 Trillion (so far), and add in the Trillion-dollars plus that was expected to be 2020s deficit, and your have 4-5 Trillion dollars added to deficit (so far) this year. I expect much more. Who was the doo-dah that said that “deficits don’t matter”? I think it was Dick Chaney (was he joking?). Everyone will still get all the govt handout checks, entitled or not. Just that the cash won’t buy nearly as much as before. And if anyone doesn’t know, inflation is nothing more than an increase in the fiat money supply. We are heading down the same path as
WWI Germany – hyperinflation and destruction of wealth. All Germany’s discontent enabled the rise of Adolf Hitler. Who will be our savior?
This is definitely a sh**load of money…I am extra curious as to know where it will go. Shelter space ,,utilities,,food…we need this money…sad thing is the programs that Guilford county has provided for Greensboro has resulted in some people misusing and taken complete advantage of it causing some of us in need to remain helpless. This city is not selfish and they do apply funds to help the people…some of the lower class are not using these benefits for the better or respectfully…me being on the proverty level living in a hotel is the upmost form or proverty that I’ve ever experienced …I hope that we can rebuild this city to be the money maker she can be