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A28 u.s. news
Dialuna 18 OctOber 2021

Cities seek to loosen rules on spending federal pandemic aid

(AP) - At the Loma Verde izing cities for the pandemic, Treasury spokesperson Liz than it has, when in reality, it boom, everybody’s happy,”
Recreation Center south not providing them relief,” Bourgeois said the plan gives merely reflects the revenue Valle said.
of San Diego, demoli- said Wade Kapszukiewicz, governments “the resourc- produced by putting an ex-
tion work is underway on the mayor of Toledo, Ohio. es and flexibility they need tra burden on ourselves,” the In Oceanside, however, of-
a $24 million project that to avoid cuts, hire or retain mayor said. “It’s absurd.” ficials have less latitude over
will rebuild the facility At issue is $350 billion for workers, provide essential their federal aid. Voters there
from the ground up, com- states, counties and cities services, and come out of the In California, more than 250 approved a one-half cent
plete with a new pool. An that was part of the massive pandemic stronger.” Demo- cities and counties enacted sales tax that took effect in
hour’s drive to the north, COVID-19 relief bill Biden cratic congressional leaders voter-approved tax increases April 2019, reducing its rev-
the iconic bridge to the signed in March. The money also have praised the Trea- since 2018 — most coming enue loss under the Treasury
Oceanside pier is dete- is intended to help shore up sury’s flexible guidance. during or after the 2018-19 formula from $22 million to
riorating because the city their finances, pay the ongo- fiscal year that forms the ba- $12 million and limiting its
lacks the money for a ing costs of fighting the virus But some local officials think sis for calculating revenue spending flexibility. Further
roughly $25 million reha- and invest in longer-term the Treasury’s formula for loss, according to an analysis complicating matters, the
bilitation. projects that could strength- calculating lost revenue is conducted for The Associ- city spent nearly $2.6 million
en communities for years to too restrictive. It rolls most ated Press by government from its reserves — which
A reason one project is mov- come. The funding was made revenue sources together in- finance consultant Michael otherwise could have gone
ing ahead and the other isn’t available by the Treasury be- stead of calculating losses on Coleman. toward infrastructure — to
revolves around the Ameri- ginning in May — though a fund-by-fund basis, which provide meals, homeless
can Rescue Plan — the states and cities have been would let governments claim The southern San Diego services and business grants
sweeping COVID-19 relief slow to start spending it. losses in dedicated funds such suburb of Chula Vista, which during the pandemic. But the
law championed by President as gas taxes for roads even if did not enact new taxes, cal- Treasury’s rules prohibit the
Joe Biden and congressional The Treasury’s guidelines other revenue grew. Local culated revenue losses of federal aid from being used
Democrats that is pumping give governments leeway to governments also want to more than $32 million under to replenish reserves.
billions of dollars to states choose from more than 60 exclude recently enacted tax the Treasury’s guidelines —
and local governments. subcategories for spending hikes from the calculation, covering over half its $57.5 Oceanside officials would
the money, including CO- which they contend masks million allotment under like to be able to direct more
Under rules developed by the VID-19 vaccinations, premi- the depth of their losses dur- the American Rescue Plan. of their federal money to-
U.S. Treasury Department, um pay for certain workers, ing the pandemic. Among other things, the city ward fixing the seismically
some governments have housing aid, grants to busi- is directing $12.2 million for unsafe 1920s-era bridge that
more flexibility than others nesses and improvements to In Toledo, voters last No- culvert repairs at two inter- leads to its pier.
to spend their share of the water, sewer and internet in- vember approved a tempo- sections to alleviate flooding
money as they want. That’s frastructure. rary one-quarter percent and $8 million to add new “It’s imperative that the pier
why the new swimming pool income tax increase that is aquatic facilities to a planned be maintained and restored
is a go, and the rehabbed pier But one particular category projected to raise $19 million renovation of the Loma Verde so that it continues to attract
— at least for now — is a no. stands out for its flexibility. annually for roads. As a re- Recreation Center. Had the visitors,” said Rick Wright,
Governments that lost rev- sult, that revenue will offset city not been able to tap the CEO of MainStreet Oceans-
Similar disparities among cit- enue can use their federal aid other losses under the Trea- revenue-loss category for ide, the downtown business
ies across the country have for almost any services, up to sury’s calculation, meaning federal funding, those proj- association. He added: “I
prompted a pushback from the amount of their losses. the city won’t have the flex- ects could have been pushed don’t think it’s immediately
local officials, who want That means they can spend ibility to use relief money to off indefinitely, said Chula noticeable to people that it’s
Treasury to loosen its rules the money on roads, a recre- replace old police vehicles, Vista city engineer William in grave need of restoration,
before the program progress- ation center or a pier, which Kapszukiewicz said. Valle. but if you look close enough,
es much further. might not otherwise be eli- you can see where there’s
gible. “It now falsely looks like our By doing it all at once “it’s cracks and pieces that have
“Otherwise, they are penal- economy has recovered more open to the community -- fallen out already.”

Now 41, man who killed 4-year-old at age 13 granted parole

(AP) — Eric M. Smith, who was cause of the tender age of the
13 when he killed a 4-year-old victim and suspect, along with a
boy with a rock in western New widely circulated photo of the ado-
York, has been granted parole, lescent Smith in court, wearing a
corrections officials said on Bugs Bunny sweatshirt and a mop
Saturday. of red hair.

Smith, now 41, appeared for the Smith’s lawyer unsuccessfully
11th time before the Board of Pa- argued that he was mentally ill.
role on October 5 and was grant- Smith was sentenced to nine years
ed release as early as Nov. 17, the to life in prison.
Department of Corrections and
Community Supervision said in an Derrick’s parents, Dale and Do-
emailed statement. reen Robie, opposed Smith’s re-
lease each time it was previously
Transcripts of the hearing were not considered and have lobbied for
immediately released. parole reforms that include ex-
tending the time between hearings
Smith was convicted of second- for violent offenders from the cur-
degree murder in 1994 for luring rent two years to five.
Derrick Robie into woods near the
younger boy’s home and striking Dale Robie told local media the
his head with a rock. Derrick was family did not want to comment
walking alone to summer camp at a on the latest decision.
park in the Steuben County village
of Savona in August 1993. Smith is housed at the medium-
security Woodbourne Correctional
The case got wide publicity be- Facility in the Catskills.