13 - Authorizing necessary documents to pursue the Coronavirus Relief Fund created by the CARES Act

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STATE OF TEXAS May 11, 2020 Dear County and City Leaders: Thank you for your continued work to combat the coronavirus and address the ancillary effects of that fight in your communities. These are tremendously difficult times for all Texans. Please know that the elected representatives in your state government are working continuously to protect the health and safety of this state, mitigate the economic ramifications of COVID-19, and build a path towards recovery. As you are keenly aware, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide much needed resources to help governments, businesses, and individuals respond to the current pandemic. President Trump signed the CARES Act into law and his administration continues to provide guidance on the numerous avenues of federal funding the legislation provides. Within the CARES Act, the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) was created to provide financial resources to state and local governments. As it relates to the CRF, Texas has received approximately $11.24 billion from the United States Department of Treasury (Treasury) for direct coronavirus related expenses based on the funding formula provided in the CARES Act. Consistent with the CARES Act, 45 percent of the total $11.24 billion state allocation— approximately $5.06 billion—will be made available to local governments. Of that $5.06 billion, Treasury has directly sent just over $3.2 billion to the six cities and 12 counties in Texas with a population greater than 500,000. That leaves approximately $1.85 billion that the state can make available to the cities and counties in the rest of the state. Counties below 500,000 population and the Cities within them The 242 counties, and each of the cities within those counties, that did not receive direct allocations from Treasury are eligible to apply to the state for a per capita allocation from the $1.85 billion. Cities with a population less than 500,000 located in counties with a population exceeding 500,000 are addressed later in this letter. County allocations will be calculated based on the population in the unincorporated areas of the county. We encourage cities and counties to work together to address expenses that cross jurisdictional lines.