County association talks about COVID challenges

NEW YORK--A bipartisan group of New York county executives held a joint zoom meeting Wednesday, Dec. 9 to call on the Senate to send federal aid to local municipalities that have been hard by COVID-19. Organized by the New York State Association of Counties, twelve county executives from across the state talked about the fiscal impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
"Republicans and Democrats from across the state of New York have been working together, collaborating and grappling to confront this historic challenge," said Marc Molinaro, Dutchess County Executive and president of NYSAC.
As it stands, counties outside of New York City have lost $1.3 billion due to the pandemic. Beyond the financial toll, Molinaro, who is a Republican, noted he lost his father to COVID-19.
"It is time to step up, to summon the courage and the political will to do what is necessary as we stand together to confront this great American crisis and prepare for the light that we now see at the end of the tunnel," Molinaro said.
Key to what NYSAC is asking for is any aid approved remains flexible in how it must be spent with some reasonable guardrails to ensure the money is used for public health and economic impacts created by the pandemic.
Kevin McManus, Broome Deputy County Executive pleaded with Republicans and Democrats to work together to get a deal done.
"There is nothing that I can say that would be different from any executive across the state," McManus said. "We are the front line, everything happens at the county level. We just want to reiterate please come together, what is taking you so long? we need your help."
NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario said after nearly a year of enduring the pandemic, counties statewide are beginning to run out of money and resources.
"After leading the local response to the pandemic for nearly nine months, counties are running out of resources and running out of time," Acquario said. "Without additional funding from the federal government, the state is going to be forced to make draconian cuts in reimbursements to counties."
Those cuts could severely impact the response to further waves of COVID.
"County budgets are being stretched to the breaking point," Acquario added. "These budgets support essential services like front line workers...social services, mental health, 911 dispatch, emergency services, contact tracing, rolling out the vaccination and helping Main Street reopen safely."