Press Release: Texas Coalition of Special Districts Press for State Recovery Funds

Texas Coalition of Special Districts Press for State Recovery Funds

Local governments in Texas providing fire, emergency, water, and healthcare services have sent a letter to state leaders seeking access to the state’s $15.8 billion share of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act recovery funds.

The coalition represents special district providing essential services to millions of Texans. Many these local independent governments have experienced hardship receiving federal pandemic fiscal aid or have hit roadblocks in utilizing funds due to interruptions in supply chains and Winter Storm Uri.

“Texas’ special districts have been no stranger to the impacts of the pandemic,” said Cliff Avery, executive director of the Texas State Association of Fire and Emergency Districts (SAFE-D, www.safe-d.org). SAFE-D represents emergency services districts which provide fire protection, emergency medical services or both to about 10 million Texans.

 “Our districts have continued providing quality critical services to Texans throughout COVID-19 while taking on unexpected costs and losses,” Avery said. “Access to the state’s aid will greatly assist our local governments in ensuring Texans continue to have dependable fire protection and emergency services.”

Read the Letter Here

The group, collectively representing more than 1,000 of Texas’ special districts, is asking the state to use authority outlined in the American Rescue Plan Act to transfer State Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Funds to special purpose units of local governments. Unlike cities and counties, many special districts have not received direct access to federal resources aimed to assist governments’ response to, and impacts from, the COVID-19 public health emergency.

“When special districts are excluded from relief, essential frontline workers and community residents are excluded from relief,” the letter states. “By designating State Fiscal Recovery Funds to special districts, those districts would not need to rely on cities and counties for financial assistance and would have enhanced ability to invest in our communities’ infrastructure and readiness.”

If granted access to the funds, special districts would utilize the relief to reimburse expenditures incurred in response to COVID-19, make necessary investments in water and sewer infrastructure, make capital investments to expand healthcare facilities in response to the Delta surge, and purchase emergency backup power generators to ensure continuity of water and sewer services during power outages.

Groups signing the letter to Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and state legislative leadership include, along with SAFE-D, the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals, Texas Section of the American Water Works Association, Texas Rural Water Association, Texas Water Conservation Association, and the Association of Water Board Directors – Texas, Water Environment Association of Texas, and Texas Association of Clean Water Agencies.

The Texas State Legislature is expected to address allocations of its $15.8 billion in federal recovery aid in a future special legislative session.

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