Coronavirus budget issues are an ‘every city problem,’ Michigan mayor tells Congressional panel

Rochester Hills Mayor

Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan K. Barnett speaks to the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Friday, May 29, 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken to prevent its spread are decimating local budgets nationwide, and lack of support from the federal government would mean mass layoffs and economic slowdown, a Michigan mayor told U.S. lawmakers this week.

In testimony to the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett - who also serves as president of the U.S Conference of Mayors - said his community is facing the same financial issues local and state governments around the country are experiencing.

Major losses in revenue directly correlated with the COVID-19 pandemic is putting a strain on every municipal budget, regardless of size, financial history or partisan affiliation, he said.

“What we’re experiencing across our country is not a big city problem, it’s an every city problem,” he said.

Related: Whitmer administration calls for federal funding to help fill Michigan’s multibillion-dollar budget hole

COVID-19 is putting major strains on local government budgets even as local officials have to spend more to contain the virus, Barnett told the Congressional panel. Much of that lost revenue can’t be made up - as an example, Barnett shared that his community lost $200,000 from the cancellation of a local youth soccer league.

That’s already led to furloughs, layoffs and budget cuts in state and local governments throughout the country, and those cuts will only get deeper if there’s no direct federal assistance, Barnett said.

“Without federal support, cities will likely become a drag on the very economic recovery that they would otherwise be leading,” he said.

Barnett joined other mayors from California, South Carolina, Georgia, Washington and other states to testify about how Congress might be able to assist struggling local governments.

During the hearing, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan laid out a five-point list of suggestions for Congress and the federal government, including taking a national approach to contact tracing, reopening and PPE distribution instead of leaving it to states.

Mayors and governors “had to write their own pandemic playbook,” she said, later adding that defeating the virus “requires a unified, generational response.”

Next week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to testify before a separate Congressional committee to address Michigan’s COVID-19 response and the state’s own budget issues.

Earlier this week, she reiterated calls for the federal government to assist states, warning Michigan would be in dire straits if it didn’t get some help to address a multibillion-dollar budget hole caused by the pandemic.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more Michigan coronavirus coverage:

Michigan set to lose billions in tax revenue as coronavirus hits state budgets nationwide

Coronavirus prompts projected $3.2B drop in Michigan tax revenue, more losses expected

Michigan to lay off 2,900 state employees amid budget woes caused by coronavirus outbreak

Yes, Michigan is in a recession, and a quick recovery is unlikely

Republicans, Democrats at odds about who should return to work – and when

When and how will it end? Considering the end-game for Michigan’s coronavirus crisis

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