Last spring, U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado told Capital Tonight that municipalities with fewer than 500,000 people wouldn’t be getting a dime from the COVID-19 stimulus plan that had just passed in Washington, D.C.
To address the oversight, Delgado created a new funding formula to benefit small counties, towns and villages like the ones he represents in the rural 19th Congressional District.
The Direct Support for Communities Act finally passed with the American Rescue Plan in March. The more than $130 billion that was directed to small communities is now landing in bank accounts across the country.
“It’s been awesome,” Delgado told Capital Tonight on Wednesday. “We’ve been fighting for this for a long time. I know that we have to demonstrate to people on the ground that our system can work for people, for everyday Americans, irrespective of their party affiliation.”
When asked if he was supportive of bringing President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan to a vote using budget reconciliation, which wouldn’t require Republican votes, Delgado said not yet. Both sides have inched closer.
“I think that kind of give and take, that kind of back and forth is encouraging,” he said. “It’s incumbent upon us in Washington to continue to do that work.”
Here’s how the funding from the Direct Support for Communities Act will be dispersed throughout NY-19:
- Broome County: $37,000,061.00
- Columbia County: $11,549,602.00
- Delaware County: $8,572,706.00
- Dutchess County: $57,148,397.00
- Greene County: $9,165,716.00
- Montgomery County: $9,560,602.00
- Otsego County: $11,555,818.00
- Rensselaer County: $30,828,334.00
- Schoharie County: $6,021,192.00
- Sullivan County: $14,651,782.00
- Ulster County: $34,491,474.00