Special Districts Legislation to Assist with COVID-19 Costs

Last week, Congressman John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove) reintroduced the Special Districts Provide Essential Services Act. The legislation, co-sponsored by Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-Monterey), Jim Costa (D-Fresno), Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), and Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena), would ensure that the 2,700 special districts in California and 30,000 special districts nationwide are eligible for any additional federal financial assistance provided by Congress to state, county, and local governments in the COVID-19 relief package.  Currently, special districts are ineligible for direct federal financial assistance under the “Coronavirus Relief Fund” established by the CARES Act.  While RCRC has not lent its formal support to the measure, it did help craft the legislation noting that the financial health of many special districts is critical for counties in rural parts of California. It should also be noted that monies directed to special districts would not come from any portion of a city or counties’ allocation of federal dollars.