LMR April 2021

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Legal BriefsTHE DATA BEHIND THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLANBY KAREN DAY WHITE, EXECUTIVE COUNSELIt is certainly the biggest news for localgovernments this year. The AmericanRescue Plan that was signed into lawon March 11 touts direct and flexiblefunding for the Thornton, over 19,000 Musso, cities, &Bellemin town, and villagesnationwide. The $1.9 trillion relief package includes acollective $350 I approve billion this for ad state copy for and use local in the following governments. issues:Louisiana’s local governments have been on the front linesaddressing the pandemic for over a year and have weatherednumerous devastating natural disasters to boot. For months,the LMA has joined our state and federal partners in advocatingfor both short and long-term funding as being critical to thesuccess and recovery of Louisiana’s citizens. Our membersprovide the essential Index Listings services that citizens rely on daily –including utilities, transportation, police and fire protection,WATER TREATMENT CONSULTANTSand more. So, the interruption in revenue and increasedexpenditures brought on by the disasters of 2020 havethreatened to cripple our community infrastructures and thefundamental well-being of Louisiana residents.The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office has estimated thatfor FY20/FY21, Louisiana’s local governments will lose anestimated $715 million in revenue, and that figure does notinclude the loss of critical self-generated revenue from trafficenforcement, license fees, and other fines. A survey of our localgovernments revealed that 9 out of 10 were forced to makesignificant cuts to their budgets.Since the pandemic began, morethan 433,785 Louisiana citizens havebeen infected with COVID-19 andmore than 9,748 people have died.The unemployment rate is 7.9%,up from 5.2% before the pandemic,and since February of 2020, over109,879 people have been becomeunemployed. Whether directly orindirectly, forced municipal budgetreductions have unfortunatelycontributed to this sad statistic.Approximately 440,000 adults – 16%of all adults in the state – report nothaving enough food to eat, including164,000 adults living with children.An estimated 207,000 renters (23%of renters) are still not caught up onrent, while 45% of adults statewidereport having difficulty coveringnormal household expenses.Membership Directory2018 Roster EditionOfficial Publication of theLouisiana Rural Water AssociationPub CodeBy investing in Louisiana’s local governments, as wellas individuals, the ARP will shore up the governmentalinfrastructure that empowers our communities to thrive. Thestimulus package is designed to provide $3.132 billion in statefiscal relief and $1.777 billion in local fiscal relief in Louisiana,along with over $2.653 billion in relief for K-12 schools. FundingLWR-R0018breakdowns for both municipal and parish governments mayAuthorized Signature:be accessed from our COVID-19 page on our website.The plan also provides for Date: individual stimulus payments ofup to $1,400 for more than 2,861,000 adults and 1,334,100Artwork Contact:children, representing 91% of all adults in the state and 93%of all children in the state. The additional relief of up to $1,600per child through the Child Tax Credit is estimated to go tothe families of 1,028,000 children, lifting 94,000 children out ofpoverty status. For 298,000 childless workers, including manyfrontline workers, the plan provides additional relief of up tonearly $1,000 through the Earned Income Tax Credit.The massive scale of this relief package means that therules developed by the U.S. Department of Treasury forimplementation and administration are critical. As soon asthat information is available, we will broadcast it far and widethrough emails, our weekly e-newsletter, and our social mediaplatforms, so please make sure that we have your preferredemail addresses in to receive these important updates.Custom WaterTreatment ProgramsDesigned by Professionals Since 1990POTABABLEWASTEWAATERFAX: (225)654-9533P. O. Bory,Advertising SpaceLWR-R00Ad Order # 1636839Adv Code 179697S. Rep: Jason Zawada (C)Corrosion Inhibition Iron & Manganese Control Enhanced Disinfection NSF CertifiedEPA Approved Chlorine dioxide for Stage 2 compliance assurance DBP reductionSludge Dewatering Polymers Dechlorination Technical Support/Service TestingNaylor, LLC - Gain5950 NW 1st PlGainesville, Florida,Tel:(800) 369-6220, (352Fax: (352) 331-3Page 6707693_Thornton.indd 1LMR | APRIL 20218/21/14 8:33 PM
Inside the LMATechnical Assistance AnnouncementDue to the 2021 Regular Session, the LMA legislative teamwill be largely out of the office April 12 through June 10.They will be at the Capitol focusing on the issues that affectmunicipal government, and zealously advocating on behalfof our members. Unfortunately, this means that they will notbe readily accessible by telephone to respond to requests fortechnical assistance on a daily basis.The LMA encourages you to consult with your municipalattorney in the event of such a need. The LMA works closelywith the Louisiana City Attorney’s Association to provide continuingeducation regarding matters pertaining to municipalgovernment. Furthermore, there is an abundance of resourcesavailable on our website under “Publications,” including informationon the Lawrason Act, public records, open meetings,mayor’s court, public bid law, annexation, and dual office-holding,among other topics. You are encouraged to review thatinformation for assistance with any issues that you encounter.Otherwise, please email any technical assistance questions toJohn Gallagher (jgallagher@lma.org), Karen White (kwhite@lma.org), or Brandon Brewer (bbrewer@lma.org). We will doour best to respond to any such written inquiries in a timelyfashion. We appreciate your understanding and accommodationduring this hectic time.As the legislative team fights to protect municipal interestsand coffers, we will keep you apprised of any relevant developmentsand will reach out for your assistance when neededthrough email and One Call initiatives.ENVIRONMENTALTECHNICAL SALES, INC.7731 Office Park Blvd.Baton Rouge, LA 70809(225) 295-1200 (225) 295-1800 (fax)Daniel Hebert, PresidentRonnie Hebert, ChairmanBrady Sessums, Vice Presidentwww.etec-sales.comWater … Wastewater … SludgeOdor Control…PumpingEquipment Systems…SolutionsLMR | APRIL 2021 Page 7
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LMR April 2021

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