A seven-member Senate Appropriations Subcommittee formed by Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann met to discuss strategies related to the spending of $1.8 billion in coronavirus state fiscal recovery funds on Monday. During the hearing, the Subcommittee listened to presentations from the National Conference on State Legislatures, the Mississippi Legislative Budget Office, a Senator from Louisiana, a representative of Tennessee’s Governor’s Office, and Mississippi’s State Auditor.
During his announcement of the Subcommittee’s formation, Hosemann suggested that the state funds be used to match county and city infrastructure spending. Presenters at the Subcommittee’s first hearing provided examples of state spending across the country and suggested strategies for fund planning, spending, and compliance. Unfortunately, community input and plans for community engagement around spending decisions were not a topic of discussion.
As the Subcommittee continues to study this matter and as the Legislature prepares to spend the funds, One Voice will remain committed to urging state lawmakers to collaborate with communities across the state and use the funds to aid those most in need of assistance, invest in public services, and increase opportunities for all Mississippians.
If you missed the hearing, the Mississippi Legislature’s American Rescue Plan Act Subcommittee Hearing Overview is here.
To access One Voice’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds toolkit, click here.
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