Coalition Joins Partners to Call on Congress to Provide $350 Billion in Flexible Aid for States, Cities, Counties, Tribes & Territories

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March 1, 2021

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.

Coalition Letter on $350 Billion for State and Local Assistance
March 1, 2021

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
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
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