CHICAGO — The U.S. Senate is considering the latest COVID-19 relief bill, which has already passed in the House. One of the larger portions of the package is $350 billion that would be allocated to state and local governments.
Most congressional Republicans argue this money is unnecessary — that it’s a bailout for states and municipalities that were already in financial trouble — Illinois included.
Amanda Kass is the associate director of the Government Finance Research Center at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Kass spoke with Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline on Thursday. She co-wrote an article on this topic in Governing magazine with Phillip Rocco of Marquette University where they argue that state and local governments do need this relief funding.
Listen to this interview here.
