CLICK HERE FOR LIST OF ALLOCATIONS
BIDEN ALLOCATES
$23 MILLION IN AID
TO OTSEGO COUNTY
President Signs Bill Today;
All Municipalities To Benefit
By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
COOPERSTOWN – Otsego County’s government and its municipalities will share $23,336,987 through the federal $1.9 trillion aid bill President Biden signed this afternoon, County Treasurer Allen Ruffles confirmed a new minutes ago.
County government itself will receive $11,628,479 of the total.
The City of Oneonta tops the list of municipalities, receiving $2,571, 761. The Town of Oneonta comes next at $921,680. The Village of Cooperstown has $325,581 coming.
But all local governments get something, with the Village of Laurens receiving the least, $45,641.
Ruffles said Congressman Antonio Delgado, D-19, called him yesterday to advise him the money was coming, and NYSAC, the State Association of Counties, followed up today.
“While the money has to be used for COVID-related things, that is very broad-ranging,” Ruffles said.
For instance, he believes the county can use its share to make up for $3 million lost in sales tax since COVID brought tourism to a halt, plus $1.5 million in occupancy tax.
The state withheld $6 million in money it owed the county last year, and that might be available for reimbursement, too, Ruffles said.
The treasurer said anything left over might be used to replenished the county’s rainy day fund, which was drained by the crisis.
I believe Otsego County should consider reimbursement to the landlords/owners. I myself, did not receive rent payments from July to February. The Otsego County DA told my tenants they didn’t have to pay rent because of Covid. I never received a letter from the DA stating I didn’t have to pay my property taxes.