People from a local anti-mass incarceration group expressed concern at the Montgomery County commission meeting this week about a jail capital improvement project state grant application the county filed.
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With the congressional session coming to a close, federal lawmakers are continuing negotiations on a COVID-19 relief package. Local officials have been advocating for more relief funding, including direct federal aid to counties.
In the spring, Montgomery County received over $90 million in CARES Act funding. County Commissioner Debbie Lieberman said those funds have been used for all kinds of expenses, including 911 dispatch services, PPE for the county jail, and Chromebooks for students.
“You can t look at any part of our county, our education systems, our health systems, that hasn t been affected by this [the coronavirus],” she said. “Everything has a price tag on it, and it s things that we did not budget for, clearly. With the downturn in sales tax revenue and other revenues, it s become very difficult.”