Hillsborough County Commission votes to dole out $257 million for coronavirus aid

The Hillsborough County commission voted on spending the $257 million received from the federal government in Cares Act coronavirus aid.

Metropolitan Ministries, Feeding Tampa Bay and Career Source Tampa Bay top a list of wide-ranging assistance programs which will see money to help in the months ahead.

Ron Barton, assistant county administrator for economic prosperity, said that the effort aims to aid citizens in dealing with current struggles, and also “to start to target local needs to recover our economy,.”

Additionally, $50 to $85 million in direct payments will head to businesses which have taken on big losses and need the money to stay afloat. Other grants to get people back to work will see $15 to $35 million in relief

“We want our businesses to open their doors … we want to put people back to work,” Barton said.

All of the allocations will include input from Tampa Bay Economic Development Council’s task force, non-profit agencies, financial institutions and others outlets, according to sources.

“I think it’s vital. I think it’s critical. We have to do everything we can do to accelerate what we can do here,” said Commissioner Sandra Murman about workforce training.

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