Posted: | May 15, 2015 01:52 PM |
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From: | Representative Neal P. Goodman |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Local Government Capital Project Grant Program |
In the near future I will be introducing legislation to help small, low income municipalities with essential capital needs through the creation of the Local Government Capital Project Grant Program. The grant program would be administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Similar to the Local Government Capital Project Loan Program under DCED, this grant program is intended to help small municipalities with small tax bases afford essential municipal building repairs, upgrades and other improvements they need to undertake but otherwise could not afford. The program could also be used to purchase municipal vehicles, including police vehicles. Grants may be awarded for up to 50 percent of total project cost and may not exceed $50,000 for equipment and vehicles or $100,000 for municipal buildings and facilities. This legislation is intended to supplement the existing loan program. To ensure resources are targeted to where they are most needed, the grant program would be limited to municipalities with income levels below state median income levels. Specifically, eligible municipalities are those with median household incomes no greater than 75 percent of the state median household income and with populations of 12,000 or less. Greatest priority will be given to municipalities with populations of 5,500 or less. No more than $3 million may be awarded each year under this program. I hope you will join me in supporting our smaller, low income communities by sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB1289