August 7, 2020 11:10 a.m.

Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod is again asking Governor Kate Brown to distribute the remaining Coronavirus Relief Funds from the federal government, to local governments across the state.

A release from the Oregon Senate Republicans said local governments should have received roughly $625 million of the CRF, which is 45 percent of the remaining amount. The release said Oregon has received approximately $1.63 billion, with $247 million of that going to the City of Portland and to Multnomah and Washington counties.

Girod said “Governor Brown is refusing to respond to the pleas of local governments across the state”. He said “It would appear that the Governor is waiting for the election to go one way in hopes of using the CRF as a slush fund for her own special interest and Portland”. Girod said, “Stockpiling federal funds for political gain, while vulnerable Oregonians are suffering, is abysmal”.

The release said according to reports from the Department of Administrative Services where the funds are housed, local governments got only $200 million through reimbursable expenses. The release said that leaves questions about what has happened to the millions of dollars the Emergency Board has allocated since March of this year.