March 2, 2021 ICYMI: Over 400 Organizations Urge Senate to Pass American Rescue Plan for State and Local Aid

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 2, 2021   ICYMI: Over 400 Organizations Urge Senate to Pass American Rescue Plan for State and Local Aid   This week, more than 400 national and local organizations from across the country sent a letter urging the Senate to pass the American Rescue Plan and deliver much-needed aid and assistants to states and local areas.   From labor unions in Iowa to Arizona associations representing local governments to national policy centers, the organizations emphasized the economic costs of the pandemic in states, cities, counties, Tribes, and territories across America. The organizations highlighted how state and local budgets have been slashed and caused job losses in critical sectors like education and health care that will be central to beating the public health crisis.   They also wrote about the widespread bipartisan support among local leaders and community members in Nevada, Ohio, and Texas, citing a growing chorus of voices on the ground calling for robust economic assistance from the federal government.   Read the full letter signed by the more than 400 organizations below:   March 1, 2021   U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510   Over 400 Organizations Urge Passage of $350 Billion for State and Local Assistance   Dear Members of the United States Senate:   We write today to offer our enthusiastic endorsement of the budget reconciliation language providing $350 billion in flexible aid for our states, cities, counties, tribes, and territories. We encourage the Senate to swiftly pass this urgently needed aid.   Many states and localities have seen their revenues plummet as a result of the pandemic even as costs have risen sharply to fight the virus and to help millions of struggling people and businesses. State revenues are down some 6 percent compared to before the pandemic, even as the need for state services has skyrocketed with one in three adults struggling to meet household expenses. Meanwhile, many cities and counties have been hit even harder. The average city with falling revenues has seen collections drop by 21 percent, even as costs have soared, and counties face similar conditions.   This pandemic and the resulting economic crisis are not partisan issues. In communities across this country, local officials are desperate to get residents vaccinated, healthy, and back to work. In Nevada, leaders of the State Legislature from both parties joined calls for direct federal aid to preserve essential public services like education, health care and more. The bipartisan Ohio Mayors Alliance sent a coalition letter calling on the Ohio congressional delegation to support the current plan to provide $350 billion in direct aid. These bipartisan calls for urgent support are pouring in from communities of all sizes, from counties of a few thousand residents to Orange County, California and its 3.3 million residents. And in Texas, where metropolitan areas account for 93.1% of the Texas economy, a bipartisan group of mayors from cities of all sizes have rallied behind robust federal aid.   More than 1.3 million front-line public service workers – nurses, teachers, emergency responders and corrections officers, to name just a few – have on one hand been thanked for their heroism and given a pink slip with the other because of the holes the pandemic blew open in state and local budgets. This staggering loss of jobs hurts our economy; we cannot add jobs by subtracting them. More importantly, the loss of these public service workers hurts our ability to quickly get shots in arms, prevent our children from falling behind, and help save businesses by delivering essential services like sanitation, clean water and good roads. All the while state and local costs to combat COVID-19 continue to increase and the negative economic impacts from the pandemic continue.   We appreciate the thoughtful work of the Senate to ensure that aid to our states, cities, counties, tribes, and territories will be distributed fairly, so communities of all sizes can receive the help they need. As the Senate considers this legislation, we ask that you maintain the $350 billion funding that will get aid quickly to all corners of the country.   Sincerely,   AASA, The School Superintendents Association Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (Aim) ACCESS AFL-CIO AFSCME Ain Dah Yung Center Alabama Alliance of YMCAs Alabama Visual Arts Network Albert Lea Family YMCA Alexandria Area YMCA Alliance for Nevada Nonprofits Alliance for Retired Americans Alliance for Strong Families and Communities Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAs Alliance of NYS YMCAS American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education American Federation of Teachers American Indian Center of Indiana, Inc American Indian Child Resource Center American Indian Community House American Indian OIC American Indians in Texas American Library Association American Network of Community Options & Resources (ANCOR) American Planning Association American Public Human Services Association American Public Power Association American Public Works Association (APWA) Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) Americans for Indian Opportunity Americans for Tax Fairness Americans for the Arts Americans for the Arts Action Fund Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans Arizona Association of Counties Arts Alliance Illinois Arts North Carolina Arts Wisconsin ArtsNYS Association of Art Museum Directors Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) Association of Community Tribal School (ACTS) Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma Association of County Commissions of Alabama Association of Educational Service Agencies Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies Association of Minnesota Counties Association of Oregon Counties Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) Association of Washington Cities Autistic Self Advocacy Network BasicNeeds US Battle Born Progress Behavioral Health Strategies, Inc. Bend the Arc Jewish Action Bend the Arc: Champaign-Urbana Big Cities Health Coalition Black Belt Community Foundation, Inc. Black Children’s Institute of Tennessee Brainerd Family YMCA Build America Mutual California State Alliance of YMCAs California State Association of Counties Californians for the Arts Campaign for America’s Future Center for American Progress Center for Common Ground Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research Center for Nonprofit Advancement Center for Nonprofit Excellence Center for Non-Profits (NJ) Center for Tax and Budget Accountability Center on Policy Initiatives Child Welfare League of America CNY Arts Coalition on Human Needs Coalition of Labor Union Women Colorado Counties, Inc Colorado Municipal League Colorado Nonprofit Association Common Good Vermont Communications Workers of America (CWA) Connecticut Conference of Municipalities Consumer Action Council of Administrators of Special Education Council of Michigan Foundations Council on Foundations County Commissioners Association of Ohio County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania County Commissioners’ Association of WV County Welfare Directors Association of California CT Citizen Action Group Danvers Community YMCA DC Vote Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO) DesignAlabama, Inc Design-Build Institute of America Destinations International Economic Policy Institute EDGE Consulting Partners Esri Evident Change Families USA Family Equality Florida Alliance for Retired Americans Florida Association of Counties Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Florida League of Cities, Inc. Florida League of Mayors Florida Nonprofit Alliance Florida Policy Institute Florida State Alliance of YMCAs Forefront (Illinois) Forum for Youth Investment Fulton Police Dept. Georgia Alliance of YMCAs Georgia Municipal Association Girl Scouts of the USA Globetrotter Travel Management Services, Inc. GoldenHours Goodwill Industries International, Inc. GoRail Government Finance Officers Association Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Greater Holyoke YMCA Hakipuʻu Academy Hawai`i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice Hawaiʻi Arts Alliance Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO Health Care for America Now (HCAN) Health Care Voter Hispanic Federation Holmen Area Fire Department Honest Arizona Hot Springs YMCA Illinois Municipal League Illinois State Association of Counties Independent Sector Indiana Institute for Working Families Indivisible Hawaii Indivisible IL9 Andersonville-Edgewater Indivisible IL14 Indivisible Illinois Indivisible Marin Indivisible Media City Burbank Indivisible Metro East Indivisible Western Springs Indivisible: Narberth and Beyond Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy International Association of Emergency Managers International Association of Fire Fighters International Municipal Lawyers Association, Inc. International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR) International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) International WELL Building Institute Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans Iowa Alliance of YMCAs Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Iowa League of Cities Iowa State Association of Counties Itasca County Family YMCA Japanese American Citizens League Jewish Federations of North America KABOOM! Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA Kansas Association of Counties Kansas City Indian Center Kansas State Alliance of YMCAs Kentuckians for the Arts Kentucky Alliance for Retired Americans Kentucky Association of Counties Kentucky Equal Justice Center Kentucky League of Cities Kentucky Nonprofit Network Kentucky/West Virginia Regional Alliance of YMCAs Keystone Research Center Lacuna Technologies League of Arizona Cities and Towns League of California Cities League of Minnesota Cities League of Nebraska Municipalities League of Oregon Cities Louisiana Budget Project Louisiana Municipal Association Main Street Alliance Maine Association of Nonprofits Maine Children's Alliance Mainers for Accountable Leadership Major Cities Chiefs Association Mankato Family YMCA Marshall Area YMCA Maryland Association of Counties Maryland Municipal League Maryland Nonprofits Massachusetts Municipal Association MASSCreative MCCOY (Marion County Commission on Youth) Meaningful Minds of Louisiana, Inc Medicare Rights Center Mental Health America MENTOR National Metropolitan YMCAs of Mississippi Michigan Association of Counties Michigan League for Public Policy Michigan Municipal League Michigan Nonprofit Association Minnesota Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund Minnesota Alliance of YMCAs Minnesota Budget Project Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Missouri Municipal League Momentum Nonprofit Partners MomsRising Montana League of Cities and Towns Montana Nonprofit Association Motorola Solutions, Inc. Municipal Association of South Carolina NACBHDD and NARMH National Adult Day Services Association National Association for County Community and Economic Development National Association for Music Education (NAfME) National Association of Area Agencies on Aging National Association of Black County Officials National Association of Bond Lawyers National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) National Association of Counties (NACo) National Association of County Engineers National Association of County Human Services Administrators National Association of Home Builders National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners National Association of Regional Councils National Association of Secondary School Principals National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) National Association of Towns and Townships National Center for Lesbian Rights National Community Development Association National Council of Jewish Women National Council of Nonprofits National Education Association National Employment Law Project National Indian Child Welfare Association National League of Cities National NeighborWorks Association National Network of Public Health Institutes National Organization of Black County Officials, Inc. National Rural Education Advocacy Consortium National Rural Education Association National School Boards Association National Urban Indian Family Coalition National WIC Association National Women’s Law Center Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA) Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) NC Alliance of YMCAs NC League of Municipalities Nebraska Association of County Officials Netsmart Network for Strong Communities NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice Nevada Association of Counties New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits New Hampshire Municipal Association New Jersey Association of Counties New Jersey Association on Correction New Jersey League of Municipalities New Jersey Policy Perspective New Jersey YMCA State Alliance New Mexico Counties New Mexico Thrives New York Council of Nonprofits New York State Association of Counties New York State Conference of Mayors Nonprofit Association of Oregon Nonprofit Association of the Midlands Nonprofit New York #NoRA North American Indian Association of Detroit North American Indian Center of Boston North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans North Carolina Center for Nonprofits North Carolina League of Municipalities North Carolina Justice Center North Carolina Metropolitan Mayors Coalition North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations Northridge Indivisible Ohio Jewish Communities Ohio Mayors Alliance Ohio Municipal League Oklahoma Alliance of YMCAs Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits Oregon Alliance of YMCAs Organizations Concerned About Rural Education Our Children Oregon PA State Alliance of YMCA's PACENation Partnership for America's Children Pasefika Empowerment and Advancement, Inc.; Hawaii Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations Pennsylvania Municipal League Pennsylvania State Alliance of YMCAs People's Action Personal PAC Phoenix Indian Center Inc. Pine Hill Indian Community Development Initiative Planned Parenthood Federation of America Police Jury Association of Louisiana Prevent Blindness Prevention Institute Progressive Democrats of America Protect Our Care Providers' Council Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK) Public Citizen Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) Public Health Accreditation Board Public Safety Rebuild America's Schools Coalition Rebuild NorthBay Foundation Red Wing Family YMCA Regional Alliance of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska YMCAs RentLab.org Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns Samuel Mahelona Hospital SC Arts Alliance Seattle Indian Health Board Service Employees International Union Service Year Alliance Shriver Center on Poverty Law Sierra Club Sourcewell South Carolina Alliance of YMCAs South Carolina Conference of Black Mayors South Dakota Municipal League Southwest Alliance of Ys Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters State Alliance of Michigan YMCAs SUEZ NA Tax March Teach Plus Tennessee State Alliance of YMCAs Texas Association of Counties Texas Municipal League The Advocates The AIDS Institute The Children's Agenda The Education Trust The Gerontological Society of America The Henry Ford The Jewish Federations of North America The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights The LION Group The Maryland Alliance of YMCAs The Nevada Association of Counties The United States Conference of Mayors The Young Dems of San Joaquin County Together SC Tzicatl CDC UJA-Federation of New York Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO United Brotherhood of Carpenters United Counties Council of Illinois UNITE HERE Utah Cultural Alliance Utah Nonprofits Association Valley of The Sun YMCA Vermont League of Cities and Towns Veterans Outreach Virginia Alliance of YMCAs Voices for Progress Voices of Reason VolunteerMatch VoteVets Washington Nonprofits Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans Washington State Alliance of YMCAs Washington State Association of Counties West Suburban YMCA West Virginia Association of Counties West Virginia Municipal League Western Front Indivisible Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans Wisconsin Counties Association Wisconsin/U.P. Michigan State Alliance of YMCAs Women Employed Woodstock Institute Working Partnerships USA Worthington Area YMCA WV Nonprofit Association Wyoming County Commissioners Association Wyoming Nonprofit Network YMCA Alliance of Maine YMCA Alliance of NH & VT YMCA at Austin Community Recreation Center YMCA Camp Olson Coalition Letter on $350 Billion for State and Local Assistance March 1, 2021 10 YMCA of Central Massachusetts YMCA of Delaware YMCA of El Paso YMCA of Northwest La YMCA of Southern Nevada YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region YMCA of the USA YMCA-RI State Alliance YWCA USA Zencity ZERO TO THREE Zipcar