Along with individual stimulus checks and more help for the unemployed, there’s a lot of money headed to Ohio and its cities and counties once the latest $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill is signed into law.
There’s a total of $11.2 billion for Ohio in the bill called the American Rescue Plan – half of it going to the state, with $2.2 billion each going to major cities and to all 88 counties.
The Statehouse News Bureau reviewed an analysis by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Of that $2.2 billion for counties, here are the top five allocations:
- Franklin County: $255,38,000
- Cuyahoga County: $239,530,000
- Hamilton County: $158,540,000
- Summit County: $104,930,000
- Montgomery County: $103,120,000
Among major cities, Cleveland gets the most, $541,410,000 - almost half a billion dollars. That averages out to $1,400 per resident based on the most recent Census figures available. That's the eighth largest allocation among all major U.S. cities.
Cincinnati could get $291,590,000, or around $967 per person. Columbus would get $185,960,000, but because it's by far the largest city by population, its take comes out to $211 per resident.
The money can be used for COVID-related expenses like vaccines and public health, small business relief, support for low-income people and schools.
The plan, backed by Democrats and the Biden administration, is expected to pass along party lines Wednesday afternoon. No Republicans are likely to vote for it.
Ohio's budget director has credited previous COVID relief as "essentially serv[ing] as a second rainy day fund for us," and has suggested that may make draining the state's rainy-day fund unnecessary.
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