Along with individual stimulus checks and more help for unemployed Americans, there’s a lot of money headed to Ohio and its local governments once the latest $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill is signed into law.
The U.S. House passed the revised American Rescue Plan on Wednesday, sending it to President Joe Biden for his signature. There’s a total of $11.2 billion for Ohio in the 628-page measure – half of it going to the state, and $2.2 billion each going to major cities and to all 88 counties.
According to an analysis by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform, here are the top five allocations for counties:
- Franklin County: $255,380,000
- Cuyahoga County: $239,530,000
- Hamilton County: $158,540,000
- Summit County: $104,930,000
- Montgomery County: $103,120,000
Among major cities, Cleveland gets the most, $541,410,000. That averages out to $1,400 per resident based on the most recent Census figures available, and the eighth-largest allocation among all major U.S. cities.
Cincinnati could get $291,590,000, or around $967 per person. Columbus would get $185,960,000, but because it's by far the largest city by population, its take comes out to $211 per resident.
The money can be used for COVID-related expenses like vaccines and public health, small business relief, support for low-income residents, and schools.
The plan already passed the U.S. House before being revised in the Senate. No Republicans in either chamber joined Democrats in approving the bill.
Ohio's budget director has credited previous COVID relief as "essentially serv[ing] as a second rainy day fund for us," and has suggested that may make draining the state's rainy-day fund unnecessary.
What questions do you still have about COVID-19 or Ohio's response? Ask below and WOSU may answer as part of our series A Year Of COVID.
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