$200 million to Vermont cities and towns
Right now, Vermont municipalities have an opportunity to make investments that will move their communities forward with federal pandemic relief funds. You may be asking: How is my community using these funds? How can I participate in the process?
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated over $200 million to Vermont cities, towns, and villages (see how much your town received here). This is nearly 40 percent of the amount collected in local taxes in 2020. The money can be spent broadly on costs incurred through 2024 to address COVID-19 impacts, giving local governments the chance to help residents rebuild and recover from the pandemic.
Many communities are starting their decision-making process now. Jericho and Burlington are gathering community input with a survey. Burlington’s survey closes on Monday, November 22nd. Rutland and St. Albans held meetings to hear from residents about how they want use the money. And St. Albans has already allocated some of the funds.
Over the next year, most communities will be making decisions about how to use these dollars. This is a lot of money that can make a big difference in your community. So it’s worth checking with your local leaders about the municipality’s plans for spending them.
