Gov. Ned Lamont announced the creation of the Connecticut Municipal Coronavirus Relief Fund Program, which will establish a process enabling the state”™s 169 municipal governments to receive reimbursements from the federally supported Coronavirus Relief Fund to help cover their expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April, the state asked the municipalities to provide their actual and projected expenses related to combating the pandemic for the period covering March 1 to June 30. To date, municipalities have reported nearly $40 million in direct costs.
While federal rules required the states only use the CARES Act funding for direct expenses related to the pandemic and not be allocated for lost government revenue, the governor added his administration is setting aside $75 million and will review the need for additional reimbursements beyond June 30.
“We are certainly sympathetic to the needs of the municipalities during this unprecedented public health emergency and remain willing to assist them in offsetting their related expenses,” Lamont said.
“This first round of reimbursements to our towns and cities is only the beginning. This ongoing situation is dynamic and we must adjust to the changing landscape in real time. Let there be no doubt, we are reimbursing municipalities for their full cost of their expenses to date and we stand with them amid the continued efforts to protect our communities from this virus.”
