HomeMy WebLinkAboutSupport Letter - H.R. 6467 (Khanna) - 04.16.2020
April 16, 2020
The Honorable Ro Khanna
221 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
RE: Support H.R. 6467
Dear Congressman Khanna,
As the Mayor for the City of Cupertino, and as a member of the League of California
Cities, I am writing to express support of H.R. 6467, the Coronavirus Community Relief
Act and to thank you for cosponsoring this bill. H.R. 6467 provides $250 billion in direct
aid from the federal government to local governments with a population of less than
500,000 as they face mounting challenges related to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The scale of this global crisis is unprecedented, and so is the scope of the local
government response. California cities of all sizes are coordinating across jurisdictional
lines, enacting emergency measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic,
taking action to protect individuals and small businesses on the economic margins,
while spending such sums as necessary to protect public health.
City of Cupertino applauds Congress on the passage of the CARES Act, which provides
financial assistance to meet the immediate needs of individuals and small businesses, as
well as $150 billion in direct aid to states and local governments with a population
greater than 500,000 to help offset the new costs directly related to the pandemic.
However, given the population threshold, only four of California’s 482 cities will receive
this much needed aid. H.R. 6467 creates a path for the other 99.2 percent of the
California cities that were shut out of the CARES Act to receive direct federal aid.
The Coronavirus Community Relief Act also addresses some other gaps not covered by
the CARES Act. The proposed bill allows units of local government to use allocated
funds to cover losses. Section 601 of the CARES Act restricts use of funds to cover
"necessary expenditures." Cities, towns, and villages will need federal assistance to
persevere through the hardship resulting from rising costs and decreasing tax revenue
and fees due to COVID-19. This change from the CARES Act will help local
communities deal with revenue shortfalls that will happen as a result of the COVID-19
crisis.
The Coronavirus Community Relief Act also provides the necessary flexibility on how
allocated funds can be used. If one city needs more funds that it is allocated while
another city does not need all of its allocated funds, funds can be reallocated among
cities within a state to ensure funds are put to their best use. This is a change from the
CARES Act.
Finally, the Coronavirus Community Relief Act changes the rule regarding when a city,
town, or village must certify in order to receive funds. Instead of placing a burdensome
"shot clock" by which cities, towns, and villages must apply, this legislation allows more
time for an applicant to request funds. Smaller cities and towns are facing
unprecedented challenges and could be facing layoffs. In this environment, a "shot
clock" to apply puts unneeded pressure on smaller communities in crisis.
California’s local leaders are on the frontlines of responding to the outbreak of the
coronavirus (COVID-19) in their communities doing what is necessary to ensure the
health and safety of their residents and will continue to be for some time. I would like to
thank you for your leadership in cosponsoring H.R. 6467 to ensure communities have
the resources to maintain the essential services their residents need, especially in this
moment.
Sincerely,
Steven Scharf
Mayor, City of Cupertino