Groundhog predicts Jericho will Build Back Better

    Groundhog (aka woodchuck, whistle pig) carries out brick, 

predicts Jericho will build back better.  

How should Jericho, Vt spend $1,493,000?

If you had a million and a half to spend in Jericho, how would you spend it?

From the Jericho, VT. town website: 

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) included $350 billion in pandemic-related aid for state and local governments.

Vermont is receiving more than $1.25 billion of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funding from ARPA. While the legislature and the governor will determine how more than $1 billion of that funding will be spent, Congress directed nearly $200 million of that funding directly to Vermont’s cities, towns, and villages.

Jericho is directly receiving $1,493,000.

How May Jericho Spend the Funding?

ARPA includes four broad criteria outlining eligible uses:

To respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality;

To respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers;

For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID–19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year prior to the emergency; and

To make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.

We [the town] want to hear from YOU!

The Town is seeking your input on how this money should be spent to benefit Jericho residents. This is the first step in the decision-making process. The Town needs to decide what to spend these funds on by December 31, 2024; and the money must be spent by December 31, 2026. We conducted a survey to start the conversation that closed On October 31, 2021. [ You can still post a comment or idea on the town's website.]Below is a quick snapshot of the results.

ARPA Survey Results (261 Survey Responses)

Question: If it were up to you, how would you allocate $100 among each of the following American Rescue Plan Act eligible spending areas? (Rank in order, with 1 being most important and 6 being least). 

Results below are listed by the ones that received the top number of votes in descending order.

1. Invest in necessary improvements to water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.
2. Serve low-income communities and individuals, families, and businesses hardest-hit by the pandemic.
3. Support public health expenditures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency.
5. Provide premium pay for essential workers.
6. Replace public sector revenue lost due to the pandemic.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth analysis of your responses as well as more information on what is next in this process.

In the meantime, we also have set up two discussion tools ("Post Your Ideas" and "Let's Discuss Affordable Housing"). We hope you will jump in on, have your say, listen to your neighbors, and together discuss Jericho's ARPA funding possibilities.

Post your ideas or comment on the poll results listed above onto the town website: https://jerichovt.org/arpa-funding-priorities