The weight of the pandemic hung over critical decisions about how to spend money Wednesday.Both Cincinnati and Hamilton County leaders dealt with the big money matters separately and in starkly different ways.At City Hall, lawmakers split in a 5-4 vote in favor of a $29 million spending plan that left some Council Democrats lamenting a missed opportunity. They wanted more spent on youth jobs, child care and getting people in the restaurant industry and other businesses back to work. "I do believe that this is a historic, you know, once in a generation opportunity," said Councilman Greg Landsman before the vote.He told his council colleagues the lack of affordable child care is the number one reason people are not back on the job. He and Jan Michele Kearney wanted to utilize $5 million of the American Recovery Plan dollars for child care.Republican Steve Goodin was on the winning side, looking to hold the line for that at $1 million."Traditionally, funding child care isn't the province or the business of a city," Goodin said.The business of the city today involved a flood of federal dollars emerging from the White House, and exactly what local lawmakers would prioritize with two competing proposals in front of them."I think they're really both really strong arguments and it's going to be tough to decide between the two of them," said Council member Liz Keating ahead of the vote.The proposed $5 million for child care exemplified the degree of difficulty for some, like Budget Committee Chairman David Mann who said the case had not been made."I don't think we really have an understanding of exactly how that much money would be used," Mann stated.With millions at stake, Wednesday's vote was couched by some as a defining moment for council in determining who will benefit from the federal stimulus. "I just have to remind you that we're a city of inclusion. We have to be a council of inclusion," Kearney said.Over at county government, there was talk of using $40 million for affordable housing, although it would be fall before a plan for it would be developed.Precisely how the county would spend $158 million from the American Rescue Plan is yet to be determined.But Wednesday, some priorities were raised, much of it based on feedback county leaders have been getting from pandemic-weary constituents the past few weeks."Property taxes, reducing those taxes to homeowners, providing assistance to homeowners, helping our seniors specifically stay in their homes. We want all of that aggressively on the table," said Commission President Alicia Reece.Four categories of recommended spending were on the table.Health infrastructure, stabilizing county finances, economic recovery and community infrastructure.Some things like grants for small businesses will likely be readied within a couple months, but that won't be the time frame for most of what the county has in front of it.County Administrator Jeff Aluotto noted, "There's going to be other programs that are on a much longer burn rate. Affordable housing programs are going to take much more time to plan, to make sure that we're hitting the niche in the community that we want to hit as effectively as we possibly can. So, I think it's going to be a mixed bag."Whatever is in your bag of suggestions can be brought to the county next week.There will be two public hearings.One next Tuesday evening and the following Thursday afternoon.The county has until the end of 2024 to spend the $158 million.