MEDFORD, Ore. – Local government leaders are asking for rural Oregon’s “fair share” of CARES Act funding after the first wave was reportedly distributed to only metropolitan areas of the state.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has allocated $1.635 billion to Oregon to cover expenses related to the COVID-19 outbreak. According to Jackson County commissioners, the Portland metro area received money directly due to their population while Governor Kate Brown was tasked with allocating remaining funds to rural Oregon.
On May 1, Jackson County commissioners said, “A recent conference call that included the Jackson County Commissioners and the Governor, it became apparent that these funds were not being distributed, leaving every city and county besides the large metro areas without help from this first wave of relief funding.”
Commissioner Rick Dyer said, “At a recent Zoom meeting I asked Governor Brown directly if she intended to distribute the rest of the funds to local governments including Jackson County. Even though she acknowledged the desperate need for the funding, she expressed no intention to provide it.”
Jackson County Commissioner Bob Strosser said rural citizens deserve better. “, “Local government has and will continue to incur costs in our response to the coronavirus and desperately needs this funding to effectively respond and recover going forward.”
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