Woodbridge To Get $17 Million In Second COVID Relief Act

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Towns and counties across America are getting a massive windfall in federal cash under the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden on Thursday.

This is more money from Washington than New Jersey towns were given even after Sandy.

Woodbridge Twp. will receive $17 million from the bill. Edison will get $14.8 million. The city of New Brunswick will get $21.6 million.

How will towns spend it? As the bill was just passed this week, most municipalities are still trying to figure this out.

"We were advised earlier in the week via Senator Menendez’s office of the $17 million earmarked for Woodbridge from the American Rescue Act," said Woodbridge spokesman John Hagerty on Friday. "At this time, we are reviewing options regarding investment of the funds to the best advantage for Woodbridge residents. We will offer more detail at a later date."

Federal funding like this is 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.

Advocates for restaurants 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.

Democrats said the relief bill had to be passed mostly because of a feared loss in tax revenues.

“State and local governments have been hit hard by this pandemic, facing devastating budget shortfalls that threaten vital day-to-day programs and the dedicated public servants who provide them," said Rep. Frank Pallone, the Democratic Congressman who represents Woodbridge. "First responders, teachers and public servants across our state are risking their lives to serve our communities. We cannot let state and local governments fall into bankruptcy as they provide our cities and towns with critical services."

However, Republicans strongly disagreed.

"There was a need (for COVID relief)," said Monmouth County state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "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."

No Republican in Congress voted for the second COVID relief act. Republicans said they are concerned about inflation and also a ballooning national deficit.

The money is supposed to be used for COVID recovery, but the U.S. Treasury Department has yet to issue guidelines on how the money can be spent.

As the bill read, "funds are available until December 31, 2024 to respond to the pandemic or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households and small businesses; hazard pay for essential workers; water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure investments; or the replacement of revenue lost compared to the most recent full fiscal year prior to the pandemic.”

O'Scanlon called it an "astronomical" amount of money.

"We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," he said. "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."

From Congressman Pallone's office, here is the money local towns in Middlesex County and his district (NJ 6) are getting:

Middlesex County $160 million

Monmouth County $120 million

Asbury Park $10 million

Edison $14.8 million

Long Branch $12.5 million

Middletown $6.7 million

New Brunswick $21.6 million

Old Bridge $6.7 million

Perth Amboy $16 million

Sayreville $5.5 million

Woodbridge $17 million

Aberdeen Township $1,899,025

Allenhurst $47,446

Atlantic Highlands $427,408

Deal $70,629

Hazlet $1,931,638

Highlands $463,067

Interlaken $77,505

Keansburg $946,173

Keyport $685,366

Loch Arbour $17,682

Marlboro $3,893,925

Matawan $848,726

Monmouth Beach $318,174

Ocean Port $562,085

Sea Bright $131,435

Union Beach $512,122

West Long Branch $774,168

Carteret $2,229,420

Highland Park $1,346,862

Metuchen $1,428,591

Piscataway $5,583,224

South Plainfield $2,362,681

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

Be the first to know what's happening in your town and area. Sign up to get Patch emails and don't miss a minute of local and state news: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this reporter: carly.baldwin@patch.com