Pierce County Authorizes Use Of Remaining CARES Act Funds

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — The Pierce County Council has approved a plan to release the remaining 40 percent of coronavirus emergency response funding given to the region through the CARES Act.

Near the beginning of the pandemic, the federal government approved the $1.8 trillion CARES act to keep local economies afloat while stores were shuttered. The act gave around $158 million to Pierce County to spend as they see fit.

Since then, the county has already allocated CARES Act funding for:

• $40.2 million on public health emergency response.
• $18 million on economic stabilization and recovery.
• $13.65 on community response.
• $7.3 million on essential government services.

With Tuesday's operation, the remaining money from the CARES act will be divided and used for those four previously established categories. The county says these programs have been essential for keeping Pierce County up and running.

“Since the start, the Pierce County Council has been actively involved in the financial allocation of these federal CARES Act funds,” Council Vice Chair Dave Morell said. “We understand the importance this assistance plays in our communities and have prioritized allocations to help people as they respond to the impacts of COVID-19.”

Another $23 million from the act has been set aside and put into a contingency reserve account, which the council can allocate at a later date.