$70 million. That's how much Jackson County had remaining from COVID-19 relief funds — and how much was set to return to the federal government unless leaders finalized a plan to spend it before the end of 2024.

Where did the money come from?

The money is leftover from the American Rescue Plan Act, which was created to help boost the economy following the COVID-19 pandemic. (Remember those stimulus checks? Our local governments got them, too.)looove this aside Jackson County received $136,551,645.

How has it been spent so far?

Approximately $1.2 million was used for vaccinations. Another ~$17 million was given to local organizations for public health projects like upgrading shelters for unhoused people and beefing up food banks. The remaining funds (minus $70 million) were distributed among a myriad of local projects.

Where did the money end up?

That is the (70) million dollar question. While we can think of endless ways the county could spend the remaining funds, federal red tape limits the imagination, requiring the money only be used for:

Investing in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructures
Helping small businesses, households, industries, and workers that were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic
Replacing lost public revenue

Ultimately, opposing teams within the Jackson County Legislature held out for a buzzer-beater — approving a plan for the remaining ARPA funds on Dec. 19, less than two weeks from the EOY deadline.The money will technically be used for salaries and existing county contracts, while (thanks to a little federally-approved loophole) an equal amount of county funds will go towards community groups and infrastructure projects.

Plan specifics are set to be decided this year. Get an idea of which projects + organizations may see funding with this list of previously debated ordinances, touching everything from crime prevention to 2026 World Cup preparations.