Statewide Iowa — The State of Iowa received one-point-two billion dollars from the federal government to deal with pandemic-related expenses this year. Nearly 50 million dollars of that has not been spent.
Governor Kim Reynolds says she has a plan to distribute the final 47 million by the end of the year, as required, but she’s hoping the pandemic relief package Congress may pass yet this week gives states extra time.
(as said) “That just will allow us to do it in just a more efficient and effective manner,” Reynolds says.
The governor says some of the broadband grants the state awarded earlier this year were returned because companies could not find parts and complete the projects by the end of this month. The 47 million dollars also includes the 21 million Reynolds had originally intended to use on computer software for state government.
The U.S. Treasury’s inspector general ruled that was not an allowable expense for pandemic relief funds and Reynolds says she has a plan for how to deploy that money elsewhere, but is waiting to see if Congress gives states the authority to use the money in 2021.
