April 28, 2020 3:20 a.m.
On Monday, Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden again called on Congressional leadership to provide financial certainty for rural communities during the COVID-19 crisis, to ensure they have long-term funding needed for essential services.
A release said the renewed call comes after the Trump administration’s guidance for state, territorial, local and tribal governments. The release said the guidance “falls dangerously short in making sure rural communities have the resources they need to keep families safe and their economies going”.
Wyden said that for years, rural counties “have teetered on the edge of the financial cliff”. He said, add a global pandemic and “that cliff has only gotten steeper and steeper”. Wyden said that rural communities “desperately need more support”.
The release said the Secure Rural Schools and Payment in Lieu of Taxes programs are already on the books and are “proven to get the counties the resources they need”. Wyden said the programs just need long-term funding and certainty. Wyden is asking that the programs be included in the next COVID-19 relief package.