Northampton County has been awarded approximately $60 million under the American Rescue Plan Act The lion;'s share of that money has been used to assist small businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. The maximum grant awarded is $15,000. Over 1,000 businesses have taken advantage of this windfall. On March 17, County Council awarded $1.13 million to another 95 small businesses. (You can see the businesses and amounts awarded here.)
There's still a little over $300,000 available. Applications are available here.
Though no member of County Council has voted against these grants, that's about to change. Council member John Cusick stated he would oppose any additional awards. "We have too many other needs," he said.
While it's certainly true that the county has many needs, especially at Gracedale, it was not given this money to spend on itself. Its first obligation should be to the public it serves, especially small business.
Let's bear in mind that there is no such thing as a grant.
ReplyDeleteSuch funds are forced redistribution of income in the soviet style with money seized from the more productive and given to the less productive with government commissars parasitically skimming a slice in between.
We would be far better off as a society and a nation if we dispensed with the propagandist euphemisms and called things what they are.
"Its first obligation should be to the public it serves, especially small business."
ReplyDeleteHow about especially county service that helps the addicted, Children and especially the residents of Gracedale. Of course, you and your guy pal McClure feel giving money to people who need it less than the unfortunate in need of service is a better use of county resources. When did the county become the business grab-bag?
It's not a business grab bag, it is a vote bag. To parade around like he gave all his money to the people of Northampton county. No not a dime of it came from him. He would never give anything back to us surfs of his kingdom. This money came from the federal government. And he got to hand it out as he felt fit. And hey why not in his mind make some points for himself, get some votes. He sits there so smug when they have these small businesses owners come in front of county council and thank them. Like they just opened their own purse and threw a couple pieces of silver at their feet.
DeleteNo it was money given to the county of Northampton from first the ,get ready for it, Trump administration then even more money from the Biden administration. To be used for a number of reasons. But Lamont handed out raises to his department heads and buddies. And bought votes by telling small businesses he's giving them money to survive.
Be honest both the executive and council when that next round of business come in to praise you dont sit there with your hand on your heart with your head down feeling the admiration from your generosity. Just be honest and say it didn't come from us. Thank the feds and the American people also. Nothing is free in government. The taxes will pay for it some day.
Hey 5:11 am… if you paid attention you would have noticed that 2.1 million was given to Gracedale in addition to the millions that the McClure administration advocated that Gracedale get in direct federal COVID relief money. Gracedale is not forgotten. Never has been. Now get your vax and get to work.
ReplyDeleteAll spending is indeed redistribution. The majority like it this way, and vote for more and more things for themselves. It's how democracies die. There's no realistic solution.
ReplyDeleteThe county did not make the rules, however. It's simply administering federal rules. Businesses weren't closed by any virus. They were closed by the same government that closed sliding boards and churches for no scientific reason. Now, the government is saving us from a problem it created. Sound familiar? The county received its own windfall under a separate bill. It's why we're $31 trillion in debt and sitting at 124% debt-to-gdp. You or I get foreclosed upon and signed up for welfare long before we're permitted to get to 124% debt vs personal gdp. But it's the government and we're dining and dashing together on the kids and grandkids. Eat up and screw them. They're lazy and ungrateful anyway.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete"Its first obligation should be to the public it serves, especially small business."
How about especially county service that helps the addicted, Children and especially the residents of Gracedale. Of course, you and your guy pal McClure feel giving money to people who need it less than the unfortunate in need of service is a better use of county resources. When did the county become the business grab-bag?
March 28, 2022 at 5:11 AM
If he could have given it to the workers it would have been done, but of course your reading and comprehension skills are at a 1st grade level so you "missed that part" of the article, again
He could have given it to the workers. Only two things that the money could not go to. To lower the tax rate and to pay back pension funds that had been in underfunded. Those are the only two set in stone rules
DeleteBernie could you check how much of these monies will go to administrative costs?
ReplyDeleteIt already has. Step raises for career services employees. You know. The bosses.
DeleteMany career service employees had not had a step increase in many years. Many career service workers came to work every day through our the pandemic and helped unit staff and residents. Start appreciating all staff not just union
Delete2:59, redistribution of wealth is a basic function of government, irrespective of the form of government. In order to have a functioning military, infrastructure, school system, etc., you need to tax individuals and redistribute that revenue to the functions of society that we have collectively decided to value. Nothing necessarily "soviet style" about providing grants to businesses that we would otherwise be able to support as customers while many forms of commerce are temporarily impossible.
ReplyDelete"Bernie could you check how much of these monies will go to administrative costs?"
ReplyDeleteDuring the first year, the Chamber sunk everything right back into the grant fund. I do not know whether they are taking an admin fee this year. They certainly deserve it.
:"money seized from the more productive and given to the less productive"
ReplyDeleteSo let's get this straight. You Trump and Lynch lovers consider small business to be the less productive in our economy?
Do yourself a favor. Bend over and pull your hear out of your ass.
"He could have given it to the workers."
ReplyDelete... sez one of our public "servants." Fuck small businesses. Fuck old people. Let them stew in their own shit before I get a vaccine. Fuck the kids. Let cops handle calls of abuse while I sit at my vacation home and pretend I work remotely. If we see a bag of $ somewhere, let's grab it.
You folks are sickening. Do the public a favor. Resign. People with attitudes like yours only poison others.
People got 600 a week ,1200 every 2 weeks,. That was just the fed. Now put the state unemployment payment on top of that. Yes some people struggled. But I would say a very strong majority of working class people were ok. We have a president that has done more damage to this country then covid ever did.
ReplyDeleteHey 9am and the other Chucky and Steevie posts, your arrogance is equaled only by your boss. People can read and it is clear the rescue money could be used in more areas than campaign checks to business. You do realize businesses went under before Covids right? More than 50%. All this would be one thing if county services were not in such horrible conditions.
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky that there is no real media coverage, and the only political blog is treating you like the remaining Russian media treats Putin.
Would love to know what many of the restaurants that dipped into the public trough pay their employees. I know of a few that still pay under three dollars and hour plus tips. That is crazy. The law allows it, but should the county be subsidizing this nonsense? The McClure gang won't tell you exactly what they pay he will just do his lawyer song and dance no real answer routine. Stop this Ponzi scheme to benefit a few businesses.
ReplyDeleteMost of these 3epocmments are not county employees so that is not true just citizens who think th county should stick to county business and not be a bank for free money.
Isn't it strange that since the relief money that was handed out by McClure, suspiciously went into complete renovations, both inside and out, top to bottom, by at least 8 different restaurants/diners in Northampton County and all at the same time. How I know this is because I would frequent these establishments and all have been shut down for the past 4-8 months for renovations. Is that money supposed to be used for renovations and upkeep of the establishments or helping struggling employees. Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteCare to provide a list?
DeleteYou folks really hate the people you are supposed to serve. You’re as entitled as Will Smith.
ReplyDelete"The law allows it, but should the county be subsidizing this nonsense?"
ReplyDeleteOutstanding and enlightened question! Welcome to the disaster of plandemic economics my fellow traveler. I love watching the birth of a new libertarian monetarist. It proves that liberals really are just conservatives who've yet to be mugged. Good stuff.
Good point 7:08. McClure is no liberal, he is another local republican who wears democrat clothes to get ahead politically. He is more Trumpian than Trump. People at the courthouse call him local Trump because of the way he acts. He will let Gracedale collapse in order to get a photo op with another business.
ReplyDelete