C.A.R.E.S Act Funding

The current Quorum Court, dominated by a Republican super majority, has sat on millions of dollars in funding while our community has suffered.

Basic Issue

The Q.C. received more than $20 million in funding as a result of Pandemic related federal support and, instead of delivering these funds to the community, sat idle throughout most of the Pandemic while our community suffered the brunt of the pandemic's effects. Local agencies repeatedly sought support and the Court made only marginal investments, with the majority of funding going toward non-emergency related issues such as bonuses for staff and an ill-advised attempt to fund jail expansion that the federal government ultimately stepped in to stop despite advice from sitting Democratic JPs.

My Position

The current JPs failed to provide adequate leadership and left our community out to dry.

The Quorum Court, largely along party lines, failed to act with urgency or fiscal responsibility for the funds entrusted specifically for Pandemic aid. They attempted to use the funds illegally for jail expansion and leaned into the Pandemic crisis to bolster their claim of overpopulation even though the issue existed for years and had previously been denied (2019).

Instead of being siphoned off with last minute appropriations into other funds, the remaining funding should be delegated to supporting critical organizations in Washington County within a 12 month period beginning January 1, 2023.
Organizations with limited capacity for auditing should be supported through these funds instead of excluded from funding consideration.
Bonuses for employees that were able to work remote, often at the discretion of their supervisor, should be paid from general reserves to match those received by others covered in the CARES funding guidelines.