Over 400 Organizations Urge Senate to Pass American Rescue Plan for State and Local Aid

March 2, 2021

This week, more than 400 national and local organizations from across the country sent a letter urging the Senate to pass the American Rescue Plan and deliver much-needed aid and assistants to states and local areas.

From labor unions in Iowa to Arizona associations representing local governments to national policy centers, the organizations emphasized the economic costs of the pandemic in states, cities, counties, Tribes, and territories across America. The organizations highlighted how state and local budgets have been slashed and caused job losses in critical sectors like education and health care that will be central to beating the public health crisis.

They also wrote about the widespread bipartisan support among local leaders and community members in Nevada, Ohio, and Texas, citing a growing chorus of voices on the ground calling for robust economic assistance from the federal government.

Read the full letter signed by the more than 400 organizations below:

Over 400 Organizations Urge Passage of $350 Billion for State and Local Assistance

Dear Members of the United States Senate:

We write today to offer our enthusiastic endorsement of the budget reconciliation language providing $350 billion in flexible aid for our states, cities, counties, tribes, and territories. We encourage the Senate to swiftly pass this urgently needed aid.

Many states and localities have seen their revenues plummet as a result of the pandemic even as costs have risen sharply to fight the virus and to help millions of struggling people and businesses. State revenues are down some 6 percent compared to before the pandemic, even as the need for state services has skyrocketed with one in three adults struggling to meet household expenses. Meanwhile, many cities and counties have been hit even harder. The average city with falling revenues has seen collections drop by 21 percent, even as costs have soared, and counties face similar conditions.

This pandemic and the resulting economic crisis are not partisan issues. In communities across this country, local officials are desperate to get residents vaccinated, healthy, and back to work. In Nevada, leaders of the State Legislature from both parties joined calls for direct federal aid to preserve essential public services like education, health care and more. The bipartisan Ohio Mayors Alliance sent a coalition letter calling on the Ohio congressional delegation to support the current plan to provide $350 billion in direct aid. These bipartisan calls for urgent support are pouring in from communities of all sizes, from counties of a few thousand residents to Orange County, California and its 3.3 million residents. And in Texas, where metropolitan areas account for 93.1% of the Texas economy, a bipartisan group of mayors from cities of all sizes have rallied behind robust federal aid.

More than 1.3 million front-line public service workers – nurses, teachers, emergency responders and corrections officers, to name just a few – have on one hand been thanked for their heroism and given a pink slip with the other because of the holes the pandemic blew open in state and local budgets. This staggering loss of jobs hurts our economy; we cannot add jobs by subtracting them. More importantly, the loss of these public service workers hurts our ability to quickly get shots in arms, prevent our children from falling behind, and help save businesses by delivering essential services like sanitation, clean water and good roads. All the while state and local costs to combat COVID-19 continue to increase and the negative economic impacts from the pandemic continue.

We appreciate the thoughtful work of the Senate to ensure that aid to our states, cities, counties, tribes, and territories will be distributed fairly, so communities of all sizes can receive the help they need. As the Senate considers this legislation, we ask that you maintain the $350 billion funding that will get aid quickly to all corners of the country.

Sincerely,

AASA, The School Superintendents Association

Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (Aim)

ACCESS

AFL-CIO

AFSCME

Ain Dah Yung Center

Alabama Alliance of YMCAs

Alabama Visual Arts Network

Albert Lea Family YMCA

Alexandria Area YMCA

Alliance for Nevada Nonprofits

Alliance for Retired Americans

Alliance for Strong Families and Communities

Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits

Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAs

Alliance of NYS YMCAS

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

American Federation of Teachers

American Indian Center of Indiana, Inc

American Indian Child Resource Center

American Indian Community House

American Indian OIC

American Indians in Texas

American Library Association

American Network of Community Options & Resources (ANCOR)

American Planning Association

American Public Human Services Association

American Public Power Association

American Public Works Association (APWA)

Americans for Democratic Action (ADA)

Americans for Indian Opportunity

Americans for Tax Fairness

Americans for the Arts

Americans for the Arts Action Fund

Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans

Arizona Association of Counties

Arts Alliance Illinois

Arts North Carolina

Arts Wisconsin

ArtsNYS

Association of Art Museum Directors

Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO)

Association of Community Tribal School (ACTS)

Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma

Association of County Commissions of Alabama

Association of Educational Service Agencies

Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs

Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies

Association of Minnesota Counties

Association of Oregon Counties

Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO)

Association of Washington Cities

Autistic Self Advocacy Network

BasicNeeds US

Battle Born Progress

Behavioral Health Strategies, Inc.

Bend the Arc Jewish Action

Bend the Arc: Champaign-Urbana

Big Cities Health Coalition

Black Belt Community Foundation, Inc.

Black Children’s Institute of Tennessee

Brainerd Family YMCA

Build America Mutual

California State Alliance of YMCAs

California State Association of Counties

Californians for the Arts

Campaign for America’s Future

Center for American Progress

Center for Common Ground

Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)

Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research

Center for Nonprofit Advancement

Center for Nonprofit Excellence

Center for Non-Profits (NJ)

Center for Tax and Budget Accountability

Center on Policy Initiatives

Child Welfare League of America

CNY Arts

Coalition on Human Needs

Coalition of Labor Union Women

Colorado Counties, Inc

Colorado Municipal League

Colorado Nonprofit Association

Common Good Vermont

Communications Workers of America (CWA)

Connecticut Conference of Municipalities

Consumer Action

Council of Administrators of Special Education

Council of Michigan Foundations

Council on Foundations

County Commissioners Association of Ohio

County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania

County Commissioners’ Association of WV

County Welfare Directors Association of California

CT Citizen Action Group

Danvers Community YMCA

DC Vote

Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement

Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO)

DesignAlabama, Inc

Design-Build Institute of America

Destinations International

Economic Policy Institute

EDGE Consulting Partners

Esri

Evident Change

Families USA

Family Equality

Florida Alliance for Retired Americans

Florida Association of Counties

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Florida League of Cities, Inc.

Florida League of Mayors

Florida Nonprofit Alliance

Florida Policy Institute

Florida State Alliance of YMCAs

Forefront (Illinois)

Forum for Youth Investment

Fulton Police Dept.

Georgia Alliance of YMCAs

Georgia Municipal Association

Girl Scouts of the USA

Globetrotter Travel Management Services, Inc.

GoldenHours

Goodwill Industries International, Inc.

GoRail

Government Finance Officers Association

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

Greater Holyoke YMCA

Hakipuʻu Academy

Hawai`i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations

Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice

Hawaiʻi Arts Alliance

Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO

Health Care for America Now (HCAN)

Health Care Voter

Hispanic Federation

Holmen Area Fire Department

Honest Arizona

Hot Springs YMCA

Illinois Municipal League

Illinois State Association of Counties

Independent Sector

Indiana Institute for Working Families

Indivisible Hawaii

Indivisible IL9 Andersonville-Edgewater

Indivisible IL14

Indivisible Illinois

Indivisible Marin

Indivisible Media City Burbank

Indivisible Metro East

Indivisible Western Springs

Indivisible: Narberth and Beyond

Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

International Association of Emergency Managers

International Association of Fire Fighters

International Municipal Lawyers Association, Inc.

International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR)

International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)

International WELL Building Institute

Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans

Iowa Alliance of YMCAs

Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

Iowa League of Cities

Iowa State Association of Counties

Itasca County Family YMCA

Japanese American Citizens League

Jewish Federations of North America

KABOOM!

Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA

Kansas Association of Counties

Kansas City Indian Center

Kansas State Alliance of YMCAs

Kentuckians for the Arts

Kentucky Alliance for Retired Americans

Kentucky Association of Counties

Kentucky Equal Justice Center

Kentucky League of Cities

Kentucky Nonprofit Network

Kentucky/West Virginia Regional Alliance of YMCAs

Keystone Research Center

Lacuna Technologies

League of Arizona Cities and Towns

League of California Cities

League of Minnesota Cities

League of Nebraska Municipalities

League of Oregon Cities

Louisiana Budget Project

Louisiana Municipal Association

Main Street Alliance

Maine Association of Nonprofits

Maine Children’s Alliance

Mainers for Accountable Leadership

Major Cities Chiefs Association

Mankato Family YMCA

Marshall Area YMCA

Maryland Association of Counties

Maryland Municipal League

Maryland Nonprofits

Massachusetts Municipal Association

MASSCreative

MCCOY (Marion County Commission on Youth)

Meaningful Minds of Louisiana, Inc

Medicare Rights Center

Mental Health America

MENTOR National

Metropolitan YMCAs of Mississippi

Michigan Association of Counties

Michigan League for Public Policy

Michigan Municipal League

Michigan Nonprofit Association

Minnesota Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund

Minnesota Alliance of YMCAs

Minnesota Budget Project

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

Missouri Municipal League

Momentum Nonprofit Partners

MomsRising

Montana League of Cities and Towns

Montana Nonprofit Association

Motorola Solutions, Inc.

Municipal Association of South Carolina

NACBHDD and NARMH

National Adult Day Services Association

National Association for County Community and Economic Development

National Association for Music Education (NAfME)

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

National Association of Black County Officials

National Association of Bond Lawyers

National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA)

National Association of Counties (NACo)

National Association of County Engineers

National Association of County Human Services Administrators

National Association of Home Builders

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

National Association of Regional Councils

National Association of Secondary School Principals

National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE)

National Association of Towns and Townships

National Center for Lesbian Rights

National Community Development Association

National Council of Jewish Women

National Council of Nonprofits

National Education Association

National Employment Law Project

National Indian Child Welfare Association

National League of Cities

National NeighborWorks Association

National Network of Public Health Institutes

National Organization of Black County Officials, Inc.

National Rural Education Advocacy Consortium

National Rural Education Association

National School Boards Association

National Urban Indian Family Coalition

National WIC Association

National Women’s Law Center

Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA)

Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)

NC Alliance of YMCAs

NC League of Municipalities

Nebraska Association of County Officials

Netsmart

Network for Strong Communities

NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice

Nevada Association of Counties

New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits

New Hampshire Municipal Association

New Jersey Association of Counties

New Jersey Association on Correction

New Jersey League of Municipalities

New Jersey Policy Perspective

New Jersey YMCA State Alliance

New Mexico Counties

New Mexico Thrives

New York Council of Nonprofits

New York State Association of Counties

New York State Conference of Mayors

Nonprofit Association of Oregon

Nonprofit Association of the Midlands

Nonprofit New York

#NoRA

North American Indian Association of Detroit

North American Indian Center of Boston

North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans

North Carolina Center for Nonprofits

North Carolina League of Municipalities

North Carolina Justice Center

North Carolina Metropolitan Mayors Coalition

North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations

Northridge Indivisible

Ohio Jewish Communities

Ohio Mayors Alliance

Ohio Municipal League

Oklahoma Alliance of YMCAs

Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits

Oregon Alliance of YMCAs

Organizations Concerned About Rural Education

Our Children Oregon

PA State Alliance of YMCA’s

PACENation

Partnership for America’s Children

Pasefika Empowerment and Advancement, Inc.; Hawaii

Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations

Pennsylvania Municipal League

Pennsylvania State Alliance of YMCAs

People’s Action

Personal PAC

Phoenix Indian Center Inc.

Pine Hill Indian Community Development Initiative

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Police Jury Association of Louisiana

Prevent Blindness

Prevention Institute

Progressive Democrats of America

Protect Our Care

Providers’ Council

Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK)

Public Citizen

Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY)

Public Health Accreditation Board

Public Safety

Rebuild America’s Schools Coalition

Rebuild NorthBay Foundation

Red Wing Family YMCA

Regional Alliance of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska YMCAs

RentLab.org

Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns

Samuel Mahelona Hospital

SC Arts Alliance

Seattle Indian Health Board

Service Employees International Union

Service Year Alliance

Shriver Center on Poverty Law

Sierra Club

Sourcewell

South Carolina Alliance of YMCAs

South Carolina Conference of Black Mayors

South Dakota Municipal League

Southwest Alliance of Ys

Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters

State Alliance of Michigan YMCAs

SUEZ NA

Tax March

Teach Plus

Tennessee State Alliance of YMCAs

Texas Association of Counties

Texas Municipal League

The Advocates

The AIDS Institute

The Children’s Agenda

The Education Trust

The Gerontological Society of America

The Henry Ford

The Jewish Federations of North America

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

The LION Group

The Maryland Alliance of YMCAs

The Nevada Association of Counties

The United States Conference of Mayors

The Young Dems of San Joaquin County

Together SC

Tzicatl CDC

UJA-Federation of New York

Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO

United Brotherhood of Carpenters

United Counties Council of Illinois

UNITE HERE

Utah Cultural Alliance

Utah Nonprofits Association

Valley of The Sun YMCA

Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Veterans Outreach

Virginia Alliance of YMCAs

Voices for Progress

Voices of Reason

VolunteerMatch

VoteVets

Washington Nonprofits

Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans

Washington State Alliance of YMCAs

Washington State Association of Counties

West Suburban YMCA

West Virginia Association of Counties

West Virginia Municipal League

Western Front Indivisible

Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans

Wisconsin Counties Association

Wisconsin/U.P. Michigan State Alliance of YMCAs

Women Employed

Woodstock Institute

Working Partnerships USA

Worthington Area YMCA

WV Nonprofit Association

Wyoming County Commissioners Association

Wyoming Nonprofit Network

YMCA Alliance of Maine

YMCA Alliance of NH & VT

YMCA at Austin Community Recreation Center

YMCA Camp Olson

Coalition Letter on $350 Billion for State and Local Assistance

March 1, 2021

10

YMCA of Central Massachusetts

YMCA of Delaware

YMCA of El Paso

YMCA of Northwest La

YMCA of Southern Nevada

YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region

YMCA of the USA

YMCA-RI State Alliance

YWCA USA

Zencity

ZERO TO THREE

Zipcar