The Minnesota Senate today approved compromise legislation creating a formula to fairly distribute the share federal COVID-19 assistance that can be used to help local governments. Gov. Tim Walz currently has the sole authority over the federal coronavirus aid, and concerns have been raised about both transparency and accountability in how the aid is distributed.
“Communities across Minnesota invested considerable time, energy, and money getting ready for an outbreak of COVID,” said Sen. John Jasinski. “Cities in Dodge, Rice, Steele, and Waseca Counties need help rebuilding just like Minneapolis and St. Paul do. The bill we passed today guarantees Greater Minnesota communities are treated just as fairly as the metro.”
Minnesota received more than $2 billion from the federal government to help local governments, health professionals, and businesses fight COVID. That money went into an account called the Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, so it could be quickly deployed to places it is needed most.
The compromise agreement distributes the local government portion of that funding – about $841 million – fairly to Minnesota counties, cities, and towns based on a formula using their population.
Several communities in Senate District 24 stand to benefit from the bill:
- Dodge County: $2.53 million
- Rice County: $8 .04 million
- Steele County: $4.47 million
- Waseca County: $2.27 million
- Faribault: $1.8 million
- Owatonna: $1.96 million
- Waseca: $680,000
In addition, you can find the funding levels for small towns here.