House Finance Committee Includes Township ARP Funding in SB 111
The Ohio Township Association (OTA) is pleased to report that the Ohio House Finance Committee has added an amendment to Senate Bill 111 that would include township American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding and determine all townships in Ohio eligible for the money; this development comes after weeks of uncertainty, and the news in May that the State of Ohio would be responsible for determining ARP funding eligibility for the 1,305 townships (of Ohio’s total 1,308) not included on the Treasury list of metropolitan cities with populations over 50,000.
Senate Bill 111 is now awaiting a House floor vote. If passed out of the House, it will go to the Senate for concurrence and then to the Governor for his signature. The amendment added to Senate Bill 111 specifies that half of the ARP funding ($422 million) is to be distributed to non-entitlement units of local government, which specifically includes cities, villages, and townships (per ARP guidelines, half the funding is to be distributed now and half is to be distributed 12 months later). The funding would be distributed through the Ohio Office of Budget and Management (OBM) by population.
The OTA thanks the Finance Committee, is monitoring this crucial development, and will release further information and details pertaining to townships and the funds once the bill progresses through the legislative process.