As a result of the CARES Act, Mississippi is set to receive $1.25 billion, and the funding is beginning to make its way to the Magnolia State.
In a thread of tweets earlier today, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Ben Carson announced that $27 million has been allocated to the state and local governments.
Governor Tate Reeves has repeatedly stated that these funds cannot be used to make up for budget shortfalls at either the state or local level. With that said, the Governor outlined his intentions for the funding during his daily press briefing.
- To support the development of distance learning in Mississippi by ensuring more students have access to the tools necessary to participate.
- To assist additional small businesses and keep employees on the payroll.
- Help local governments that have incurred unplanned expenses.
- Develop skills training programs for those who have been displaced by the virus.
- Help pay for unbudgeted expenses in Mississippi’s unemployment system.
Below, you can view the Governor’s full remarks from today’s briefing.
“We will be able to help our state reopen, we will be able to help our state rebound and we will be able to help make our state come back even stronger,” Reeves said.
The Governor also announced that a third-party will oversee the funding that Mississippi receives to ensure that “the state never goes outside of the lines and uses this money in an improper way.”
State Auditor Shad White has also stated that he plans to audit and monitor the funds that Mississippi receives.
The breakdown of Mississippi’s initial wave of funding can be seen below:
