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LOUISVILLE, KY (June 10, 2021) – Mayor Greg Fischer today outlined his proposal for spending $38.9 million of the $388 million the city is receiving from the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP), with the initial spending focused on the immediate and urgent challenges of 1) COVID-19 related health needs, 2) the housing, food, and utility instability experienced by vulnerable residents and 3) economic recovery, with a focus on the city’s downtown economic core.
“These are initiatives that tackle immediate challenges, providing funds for agencies that can very quickly deploy the money and have an immediate impact,” Mayor Fischer said. “Because while our city and nation are reopening – more people vaccinated and more of us enjoying restaurants, concerts and shops – there are still far too many who continue to suffer the health and economic impacts of COVID.”
Mayor Fischer’s proposal, included in an ordinance sponsored today by Metro Council President David James, Budget Chairman Bill Hollander and Vice Chair Kevin Kramer, proposes the following:
COVID-19 Health Needs
- COVID-19 response and vaccination activities $10,000,000
- Childcare emergency and safety supplies $1,500,000
- Suicide prevention $400,000
- Residential services for substance abuse and addiction $1,200,000
Vulnerable Resident Stabilization Needs
- Court eviction diversion program $10,000,000
- Utility assistance program $5,000,000
- Security deposit and rental assistance $1,000,000
- Temporary support for emergency food distribution $250,000
Economic Recovery
- Louisville Tourism marketing funds $5,682,500
- Downtown events and activation coordination $500,000
- Enhanced ambassador and security program for downtown and Waterfront Park $3,450,000
The Mayor stressed today that this initial round of funding is focused on urgent needs that the city can act on quickly. “Many groups and individuals have submitted other ideas, and Metro Council members have some of their own, too,” he said, “and those all will remain under consideration as we turn our focus to addressing some of our longer-term needs.”
Going forward, the Mayor has said the city’s plans for the remaining American Rescue Plan funds will lean on the work of its Build Back Better, Together (B3T) initiative, created in 2020 as the city’s framework for creating an equitable recovery from the pandemic; as well as the Mayor’s plan for Advancing Racial Equity; A Path Forward, presented by community leaders; and from Metro Council.
He cautioned that while the $388 million in ARP funding is a great deal of money, it is not nearly enough to solve all the city’s challenges. For example, Metro has over $2 billion in deferred maintenance costs alone. “Still,” he said, “it is a really good start,” and the city will, later this summer, convene leaders among business, non-profit, foundation, faith and other partners “to further ensure our public and private priorities and resources are aligned and leveraged for maximum benefit.”
Mayor Fischer said he also will collaborate closely with Council and seek ideas from the public. Today he launched an online forum, at louisvilleky.gov/accelerator, for residents to provide their ideas for how the remaining ARP funds should be used. “These are your taxpayer dollars, and in less than five minutes you can share how you think they should be spent,” the Mayor said.
In addition to the ARP announcement, the Mayor shared today that the city is adjusting its revenue forecasts for FY21 and the upcoming FY22, for a total increase of $17.5 million. That total reflects a 1.8 percent increase in FY21 revenues, or about $11.5 million, over the April budget forecast, and a forecast of an additional $6 million in revenue in FY22.
The Mayor is proposing carrying over the $11.5 million to FY22, along with the $6 million, and using it to:
- Stabilize Public Safety by funding wages and staffing relating to LMPD, Corrections, EMS, Fire and Metro Animal Services;
- Fund Professional Services related to the city’s work with the DOJ investigation;
- Fund $5 million in public works projects that have state/federal matches, including River Road widening;
- And to cover the half-year shortfall in Corrections receipts for loss of inmate telephone fees.
In addition, the Mayor said he is recommending that $15 million, recouped from FY21 general fund expenditures that were ARP eligible, be directed to previously recommended capital projects that would have been funded with debt, which will reduce the city’s borrowing in FY22.
“Clearly, we have challenges as a city,” the Mayor said, “but with the ARP federal funds and a better city budget outlook, we have the resources to address some of those challenges. We have the opportunity, as I said before, to take ideas we once reserved for some day and turn them into reality now."
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On Wednesday, President Biden announced a National Month of Action to mobilize an all-of-America sprint to get 70% of U.S. adults at least one shot by July 4th, so that more people can get the protection they need to be safe from a pandemic that has taken the lives of nearly 600,000 Americans.
Throughout the month, national organizations, local government leaders, community-based and faith-based partners, businesses, employers, social media influencers, celebrities, athletes, colleges, young people, and thousands of volunteers across the nation will work together to get their communities vaccinated.
Thanks to the President’s whole-of-government response, the U.S. has made significant progress in its fight against the pandemic since the President took office less than 5 months ago. Already, 63% of adult Americans have gotten vaccinated, including 73% of Americans age 40 and over, and COVID-19 cases and deaths have plummeted as a result – cases are down over 90% and deaths are down over 85% since January 20.
Twelve states have already iven at least one shot to 70% of adults and more than 28 states and D.C. have fully vaccinated 50% or more of their adult populations, but millions of Americans still need protection against the virus.
Together, we’ve made incredible progress vaccinating America, but our work is not done yet.
From June 4 to July 4, the We Can Do This campaign will launch a number of initiatives to mobilize Americans and communicate the importance of getting vaccinated.
We need your help and are inviting you to join the We Can Do This Month of Action by signing up here.
Ways to participate include:
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Mobilize Your Community. Join a Month of Action kick-off call. RSVP for an upcoming call at WHIGA@who.eop.gov
- Host an in-person or virtual community vaccination and volunteer event(s) focused on mobilizing your residents to get vaccinated through local earned media events, canvassing, phone banks, and texting campaigns (Canvassing Toolkit as well as other outreach scripts and resources here).
- Post on social media throughout the month of June (Digital toolkits available here).
- Offer free, accessible public transit and paratransit to vaccination sites throughout all or portions of the Month of Action.
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Promote ways to get vaccinated: Share our websites and text messaging tools on your social media platforms to help your followers access available vaccines near them:
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Vaccines.gov (English) and Vacunas.gov (Spanish)
- Text your zip code to 438829 (GETVAX) in English or 822862 (VACUNA) in Spanish
- Call 1-800-232-0233 for assistance in English, Spanish, and 150+ other languages
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Join the COVID-19 Community Corps: You’re invited to support the effort by joining the over 12,000 COVID-19 Community Corps members who are active nationwide. As a member, you’ll receive the latest resources and invites to events through the Month of Action to help build vaccine confidence in your community. Join today.
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COVID-19 College Challenge: The Administration is launching the COVID-19 College Challenge, where colleges and universities can take a pledge and commit to taking action to get their students and communities vaccinated by going to WhiteHouse.gov/COVIDCollegeChallenge. More than 200 colleges in 43 states have already taken the pledge and committed to the COVID-19 College Challenge. This challenge builds on the Administration’s work to facilitate partnerships between more than 60 community colleges and pharmacies in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program to provide pop-up vaccination clinics at high-enrollment community colleges between now and July 4th.
For more information on getting involved in the Month of Action, visit www.wecandothis.hhs.gov. Please also reach out with any questions or to keep us posted on COVID-19 vaccination efforts you have underway by emailing us at: WHIGA@who.eop.gov.
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