During a city meeting on Tuesday, the Brownsville city commission allocated the $65 million in funding they received from the American Rescue Plan.
The ARP is a federally funded program that assists state and local governments to address COVID-19 pandemic response, support of essential workers, recovery of revenue loss for government services and infrastructure investments for water, sewage, drainage and broadband services, the press release reads.
The funding will be distributed as following:
>> $19.5 million in Middle Mile Broadband Deployment.
>> $14.6 million in Downtown Water/Wastewater Improvements.
>> $11.5 million in Los Tomates Nature Preserve and Regional Detention Facility.
>> $10.5 million in Municipal Revenue Loss/Premium Pay.
>> $5.5 million in the Gladys Porter Zoo Water/Wastewater Infrastructure.
>> $2.6 million for Tourism and Nonprofit Revenue Loss.
>> $650,000 for the City of Brownsville Public Health departmental assistance.
>> $250,000 for business digital inclusion efforts.
>> $50,000 for the City of Brownsville Marketing and Communications ongoing communications efforts and incentives to increase vaccination turnout.
>> $20,000 for the reimbursement to Texas Southmost College (TSC) for costs for rehabilitation of Amigoland space for vaccination efforts.
The press release states that at the end of the presentation during the city meeting, it was noted that the city had technical assistance on ARP funds from a panel of experts with the Bloomberg foundation.
Mayor Trey Mendez said in the press release that the funding from the American Rescue Plan is going to help so many people who were detrimentally impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The City of Brownsville feels grateful to receive this funding for much needed projects and initiatives that will provide great economic relief, as well as enhance the quality of life for all residents,” he said.
“We look forward to seeing these projects and initiatives come to fruition and for our economy to continue to thrive.”
President Biden announced the American Rescue Plan in January to fund vaccinations, provide immediate direct relief to families bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic and support struggling communities.
The American rescue plans intends to change the course of the pandemic, build a bridge towards economic recovery, and invest in racial justice. The American Rescue Plan addresses the stark, intergenerational inequities that have worsened in the wake of COVID-19. Researchers at Columbia University estimate that these proposals will cut child poverty in half, the White House official website reads.
