Importantly, the Congress provided $500 million for Hillsborough County Public Schools because urgent assistance is needed to keep schools operating safely, address summer school and keep educators on the job through the public health emergency. The American Rescue Plan includes a 60-day deadline for the state to send these funds to local districts, including Hillsborough County Public Schools. This directive will ensure funds are disbursed with the speed this situation requires.
This emergency aid package will put more shots in arms and more money in the pockets of our neighbors and small business owners who need it at this precarious time. Americans need a bridge to survive the pandemic, and this historic emergency aid package will help families put food on the table, keep Floridians on the job, lift children out of poverty with an expanded Child Tax Credit, operate schools safely and make up for lost ground for our students. Survival payments are slated to start arriving in bank accounts as early as this weekend, and you can find more information from the Internal Revenue Service here.
Our neighbors across Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County Schools will receive an enormous boost from the American Rescue Plan – larger than previous emergency aid provided by the CARES Act. Funds are estimated at $285 million for the county and $80 million for the City of Tampa for rental assistance, to keep the lights on, support local frontline heroes, local businesses, and much more. I appreciate the close working relationship with local partners who have helped keep families afloat.
The expanded Child Tax Credit will provide $3,000 per child ($3,600 per child under six) with many families qualifying for monthly advance payments in the historic expansion that is estimated to cut the child poverty rate in half, a transformational initiative to aid so many struggling families in the days ahead. There are over 3.8 million children in Florida who will benefit from this expansion.
Thanks to President Biden, vaccine distribution is ramping up dramatically, such as at the federally-run Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) vaccination sites in the Tampa area. The American Rescue Plan provides funds for more sites like the Tampa Greyhound Track in Sulphur Springs for a longer period of time with an eye to hard-hit communities of color and everyday Floridians, not the governor’s political donors, so that we can return to normal as soon as possible.
In addition, Florida could benefit from a multi-billion dollar incentive provided to states that have not expanded Medicaid. It is fiscally irresponsible and morally wrong that the Governor and GOP-controlled Legislature leave so many Floridians without health coverage, especially during a pandemic. I urge policymakers in Tallahassee to bring our tax dollars back home to care for our neighbors and support our hospitals and health providers. More affordable coverage also will be available to more Florida families through new help under the Affordable Care Act.
This package will go a long way to serving the needs of our neighbors and getting back to normal as soon as possible.
