The relief bill passed in Washington with not a single Republican vote, but back here on the home front, Republican Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater says he'll have no problem putting the $3.9 million his town is getting to good use.
"Our goal in Yorktown remains protecting local taxpayers and I think $3.9 million, obviously, is going to help in that sense, but also remember, the devil is in the details," Slater says.
As local leaders throughout the Hudson Valley rejoice in the windfall the stimulus represents, there are still a number of unanswered questions about how exactly they can use it.
"I don't think that the federal government is just going to hand us a check for $3.9 million and say, 'go have fun,'" Slater adds.
New Rochelle, which was the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, is getting $36 million. Chuck Strome, the city manager, says the city has never gotten a windfall like this from the federal government.
"We hit the jackpot," Strome says and adds they already have plans to spend some of the money with the goal being not leaving a cent on the table.
"Definitely going to replace our revenue and our fund balance from last year, based on COVID losses, and I can tell you that that was a hit of probably $4 to $6 million in our fiscal year budget last year, and also eligible are water, sewer and broadband projects," Strome says.
One priority will be helping the organizations that are on the front lines helping people.
"We are going to work with our not-for-profit agencies to see how we can help people that been adversely impacted by the pandemic," Strome says.
There are a number of details that still need to be worked out when it comes to getting the money, but municipalities are expecting the first half of it to come in May.