Little Silver To Get $567K In 2nd COVID Relief Bill

LITTLE SILVER, NJ — Nobody is going to decline free money.

That seems to be the takeaway regarding the windfall in federal funding Monmouth County towns will receive under the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden on Thursday.

Little Silver will get $567,000 from the bill.

"We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13), who lives in Little Silver. "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it."

In the bill, which no Republican in Congress voted for, including Rep. Chris Smith, Monmouth County government alone will receive $120 million. Separately, individual towns will get their own money. Middletown, for example, will receive $6.6 million. Aberdeen will receive $1.89 million. Holmdel will receive get $1.6 million, Hazlet $1.9 and Marlboro $3 million.

The breakdown of how much money Monmouth towns will receive was shared in this photo from local Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso, Republican.

"It seems there is a lot of bloat in it but it is welcome relief for our towns and our citizens," DiMaso told Patch. "While I know there’s always bloat, this time it seems to be a net positive for our towns."

The amount of federal money in the second COVID relief bill eclipses anything Monmouth County has received from Washington in the past, even more than the area was given for super-storm Sandy relief.

"This is bigger than anything anyone's gotten before," said O'Scanlon. "It's astronomical. I can't exactly recall what the numbers were for Sandy, but I know it wasn't this high. This is more money than has ever been given. It's like driving down the highway with a dump truck full of cash and letting it fly out the back."

First, how will towns spend the money?

Towns and counties across America are still trying to figure this out, as the bill was just passed this week. Expect decisions to be made in the next coming months.

Federal cash infusions like this are usually spent on one-time capital projects, such as town road repairs (fixing pot holes), large-scale park and playground improvements, beach improvements, building or maintenance of government buildings, such as building a new town hall, police station or fire house, or to make improvements to playing fields and recreation areas.

Secondly, the whole idea of a second stimulus was to help the nation recover from coronavirus. Will there be stipulations from Washington on how the money must be spent?

"We expect to get more guidance over the next week," said O'Scanlon. "My gut tells me it will be broad."

Advocates for restaurants and small businesses cheered this week when Biden signed the bill into law, saying the money will help them recover from a devastating year. Not only were people scared to live life as normal due to the virus, but the government also forced lockdowns and business restrictions, such as limits on restaurant capacity.

"There was a need (for COVID relief)," said O'Scanlon. "But a fraction of this, under half of what was passed. In many areas, New Jersey is booming. Our tax revenues are almost fully recovered. This prediction of doom and gloom that Gov. Murphy is trying to portray is not reality. It's just an outrageous and not-needed sum of money."

Third, no Republicans in Washington voted to pass this stimulus. That includes Monmouth County's Congressman, Chris Smith (R-NJ4). Patch asked if he could explain his vote, but so far has not heard back.

O'Scanlon said he "completely" agrees with Smith's 'no' vote. Republicans like him said they are concerned about inflation and also a ballooning national deficit.

"If you're OK with stealing from your children's future, stand up and cheer," said O'Scanlon. "We can't give the money back. But we can make sure we spend it wisely."

See how much every town in New Jersey will get here: https://patch.com/new-jersey/m...

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