Oregon lawmakers agree to devote $247 million in federal coronavirus aid to renter relief, rural hospitals, child care and more – By Betsy Hammond (The Oregonian/OregonLive) / June 6 2020
A bipartisan committee of the Oregon Legislature agreed Friday on how to carve up $247 million in federal coronavirus relief to help Oregon renters, workers, business owners and others hit hard by the pandemic.
Lawmakers spent 2 ½ hours questioning and criticizing some aspects of the plan, but ultimately cast unanimous votes in favor of all aspects of the plan except paying wage replacement to undocumented workers laid off amid the COVID-19 scare.
The largest single element of the package is $55 million that will be paid to landlords who rent to low-income Oregonians who’ve lost wages because of the virus. That money will be doled out through local community action agencies, just like the $12 million in state funding already allocated for that purpose.
The next largest chunk is $50 million in grants to help certain small rural hospitals that saw their patient load – and income – plummet after Gov. Kate Brown ordered them to delay non-essential surgeries and other care and Oregonians became reluctant to seek medical help.
The Emergency Board, composed of 13 Democrats and seven Republicans, had stalemated in April over plans to give those same hospitals millions in zero-interest loans. At least one Democrat joined many Republican members in arguing the hospitals could not take on more debt and should receive outright grants.
Continue to article: https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/06/oregon-lawmakers-agree-to-devote-247-million-in-federal-coronavirus-aid-to-renter-relief-rural-hospitals-child-care-and-more.html
