Even in normal times, governing is hard. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, state, local, and Tribal governments had a tough but important job: protect residents, provide essential services, and help Americans reach their potential. Of course, these are not normal times. Beyond the immediate need to manage the pandemic and its economic fallout, governments face an urgent need to identify and implement effective solutions to persisting racial and economic disparities; increased rates of mental health distress and drug overdoses; homelessness and housing shortages; gun violence; climate change, and natural disasters.
Last year, state, local, and Tribal governments got a lifeline in the form of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP), an economic stimulus bill signed into law by President Biden in 2021. The law provides state, local, and Tribal governments with a rare opportunity to address the current public health crisis while investing in solutions that would have long-lasting and transformational impacts on their communities. In this moment, it’s critical that these state and local jurisdictions use data and evidence as a guide to maximize the long-term impacts of their investment of federal pandemic fiscal relief funds.
Read Full Article »