The City of Columbia is receiving approximately $25 million from the American Rescue Plan. Boone County will receive an additional $35 million. This is a one time influx of funds that has the potential to change some areas in the city forever. The guidance for spending these funds is here. https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/state-and-local-fiscal-recovery-funds Treasury is launching this much-needed relief to:
- Support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to continue to decrease spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control
- Replace lost revenue for eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to strengthen support for vital public services and help retain jobs
- Support immediate economic stabilization for households and businesses
- Address systemic public health and economic challenges that have contributed to the inequal impact of the pandemic
- We are rallying to show our city leaders that the people should have a voice in how our city spends funds that are meant for the people in our community who are most in need!
- We demand that the city provide robust and equitable opportunities for public input on the usage of the American Rescue Plan Act funds. We want to ensure that these funds are prioritized for people first, not infrastructure projects which could and should be funded by other appropriate sources.
- The needs of various marginalized people in our community have been neglected and delayed for too long. No more excuses! These funds are an ideal opportunity to invest in people to ensure a safer, stronger community for everyone.
There have been several public discussions of what to do with the ARP money for Columbia.
The mayor presented a plan during the budget work session on May 26th. You can see several changes from the original presentation on the 26th, but still less than half of the money is planned to help people who are most affected by COVID. Broadband is the largest project by far. The U.S. Senate recently passed an infrastructure bill that includes $65 billion in money for broadband. We would like to see that project come from that pot of money. The storm water project/park on the Business Loop is also eligible for money from that bill. City Council should use the money from that bill on those projects and for once, spend money on people who need help the most. Some major topics were:
- Sheltering our unhoused residents
- Affordable housing
- Community Violence
- Mental Health
- Public transit and sidewalks
- Climate Change mitigation
- Rent/utility assistance and safety net for vulnerable citizens
- Education Support, sidewalks, job training, Not-for-profit capacity, agricultural park
This plan was presented by the mayor during the May 26th meeting.
We cannot find more details other than what the mayor presented during the budget work session. The minutes and video are available on the
city website.
The ARA discussion begins approximately 3 hours and 35 minutes in. We highly recommend watching the video.
The devil is in the details. The stormwater project is for the Business Loop CID. If they get this project, it will allow the property owners on the Business Loop to redevelop without worrying about the stormwater mitigation. It is saving them lots of money. The Rapid Access Mental Health Center is a thinly disguised policing tool. The presentation starts around 3:38 and the focus is on the effect on policing. There is no discussion of how the clients will benefit, only how the police department doesn't have to spend as much time with people who are seriously mentally ill. The emergency shelter seems to be just finding a place to replace Room at the Inn. The mayor's presentation specifically says it isn't permanent housing. All the $1,000,000 is doing is replicating what is already available. It adds nothing.
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