Foxborough To Receive Over $1.8 Million In Federal Relief Funds

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Foxborough will get roughly $1.82 million in federal funds from the coronavirus relief and stimulus bill passed Thursday, according to estimates from the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

One of the $1.9 trillion bill's provisions is $350 billion for state and local aid, including a $130 billion Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. That fund will send $3.4 billion to Massachusetts, according to the Committee's estimates.

Most of that funding will go to counties and the state's 37 largest cities and towns, but $368 million will be split between the other 314 communities, including Foxborough. That money is allocated by population.

The committee estimated that Foxborough will get $1.82 million — just under $100 per resident, according to 2019 Census Bureau estimates.

The funds must be spent by 2024 and can go to the following categories, according to an analysis from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation:

• "Response to both the pandemic and related economic consequences
• Provision of government services necessitated by revenue reduction due to the pandemic
• Investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure"

As for how the money will be used, Town Manager William Keegan said the town officials will discuss how to use the money once they have a better handle on what the relief can be used for.

"These funds will have some limitations on how they can be used, so we will need to understand that first before we can strategize over the best ways to utilize the funds," Keegan said. "We are awaiting that direction and guidance from Treasury Secretary Yellen' Office.

The bill also has billions in funding for state capital projects, K-12 education, transit and other categories.