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Local government

New Jersey Allocates $60 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funds to Local Governments

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Governor Phil Murphy, Congressman Andy Kim, and Congressman Donald Norcross announced $60 million in Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) dollars to aid counties and municipalities in New Jersey that were excluded from the federal government's direct CRF allocation plan. The funds will help address necessary and unexpected expenditures necessitated by the pandemic, including health benefits, health and human services, public safety, overtime, equipment, and supply expenditures. The New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) is also providing up to $10 million to support County Boards of Social Services with COVID-related expenses.

Key Takeaways:

  • The $60 million allocation from the CRF will be distributed through the Local Government Emergency Fund to aid counties and municipalities in New Jersey.
  • Qualifying expenditures for the Local Government Emergency Fund include public safety and health-related expenses, COVID-19-related overtime, increased residential and health-related garbage collection and services, remote working technology, signage and information technology related to the COVID-19 response and recovery, and public health-related retrofit expenses for reopening.
  • The fund allocation formula uses a variety of relevant metrics, including the municipal COVID-19 infection rate, fiscal stress, the Municipal Revitalization Index, population, and public safety and health and human services expenditures share of the budget to determine the amount of funds counties and municipalities receive.
  • Eligible expenditures must be incurred during the covered period between March 1, 2020, and December 30, 2020.
  • The fund allocations by county (including distributions to municipal governments) are as follows:

+ Atlantic: $6,318,936

+ Burlington: $8,187,352

+ Cape May: $1,305,162

+ Cumberland: $6,391,225

+ Gloucester: $4,858,821

+ Hunterdon: $948,183

+ Mercer: $12,593,962

+ Morris: $8,415,816

+ Salem: $1,538,872

+ Somerset: $6,367,176

+ Sussex: $1,319,462

+ Warren: $1,755,034

  • Eligible municipalities may seek and apply for reimbursement for up to 100% of their eligible costs incurred, up to their maximum total allocation amount.

Statistics:

  • $60 million allocation from the CRF to aid counties and municipalities in New Jersey
  • $10 million from the DHS to support County Boards of Social Services with COVID-related expenses
  • Covered period for eligible expenditures: March 1, 2020, to December 30, 2020
  • 21 counties in New Jersey will receive funding from the Local Government Emergency Fund
  • 100% reimbursement available for eligible costs incurred by municipalities

Sources:

  • Office of the Governor of New Jersey
  • New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS)
  • Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
  • Congressmen Andy Kim and Donald Norcross
  • Evesham Township Mayor Jaclyn Veasy
  • Burlington County Freeholder Deputy Director Tom Pullion

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