State Finance Chief: All Coronavirus Relief Money Will Be Spent
Governor Kay Ivey at a press conference with Alabama Finance Director Kelly Butler in Montgomery. (Governor's Office)
Agencies are scrambling to apply for Alabama’s coronavirus relief money. State Finance Director Kelly Butler during a media briefing Wednesday said his office has been working through a backlog of reimbursement requests from local governments sent out as late as September.
He gave assurances that local and state agencies that apply for reimbursements by the December 30 deadline will receive their funds, eventually. But the clock is ticking, and some local government leaders and nonprofits have complained the process is rife with red tape.
“The [U.S. Department of the] Treasury has said that if we have received a reimbursement request prior to the deadline, we will have a two to three month period to work out those prior bills as long as they were expenses incurred before December,” Butler said.
Butler said he’s confident the more than $800 million in remaining CARES Act relief money will be spent by the end of the month.
The state’s finance department is also working through nearly 30,000 applications for the state’s second round of coronavirus funding.
Butler said businesses, nonprofits and faith-based organizations have until Friday, December 4, to apply for their share of coronavirus relief money.
Alabama received nearly $2 billion dollars from Congress over the summer. Any unspent money will go back to the federal government.
Jefferson County health providers ‘well equipped’ for The World Games
Officials plan to treat as many people as possible at on site medical tents. They say the biggest concern is heat-related illness.
Birmingham City Council passes Woodfin’s budget untouched
Police, public works and youth programs were the biggest winners in the $517 million budget, the largest ever for the city.
Woodfin says people without homes won’t be moved from public spaces for The World Games
World Games officials clarified that anyone will be able to walk through and access public areas around venues like Railroad Park, Linn Park, Protective Stadium and the new City Walk, despite those sites being behind security parameters.
Groups oppose $725 million Alabama bond sale for building prisons
The state is expected to go to the bond market on Tuesday, to provide financing for the construction plan. That money will be added to $135 million in state funds and $400 million in pandemic relief dollars that the state already agreed to put toward the construction project.
“Expect us,” reproductive rights supporters rally across Alabama after federal abortion ruling
Alabamians took to the streets this weekend after elective abortions became a felony in the state on Friday.
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Republican lawmakers applaud, others say they will sue, and some take to the streets
The ACLU of Alabama say it will continue its lawsuit to reinstate access to abortion.
