Pa. counties, municipalities will get money from relief bill

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

Pennsylvania is expected to receive $7.3 billion in discretionary funds through the federal American Rescue Plan stimulus bill, and local entities will be receiving funds of their own.

According to a letter sent  to local municipal leaders by state Rep. Eric Davanzo, R-Smithton, the state amount is nearly twice the $3.9 billion handed out last year through the CARES Act. 

Under the legislation that was approved last week, counties in Pennsylvania will receive a combined total of $2.8 billion, metropolitan cities will receive $2.4 billion and municipalities with fewer than 50,000 residents will share $936 million. School districts and charter schools in the state are expected to receive a total of $4.5 billion.

The largest local recipients are McKeesport at $27.3 million, followed by the two first class townships in the region, according to Sen. Bob Casey’s office. Elizabeth Township is expected to receive $1.28 million, while Rostraver Township anticipates receiving $1.08 million. Monessen is expected to receive $715,508. 

“I know that we can’t use it for pensions and it can’t be used to lower taxes,” said Monessen Mayor Matt Shorraw.

Shorraw is hoping the money can be used toward paying debts other than pensions or can be leveraged as the matching funds for grants.

“We’ll have to discuss it with council,” he said. “There are a couple of roads that need to be paved that don’t qualify for CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funding, such as Evergreen, the road between the cemeteries. We just have to see how we can stretch it as much as possible.”

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