Relief checks back in spotlight for Washington council

WASHINGTON — Two people gave public comments at the Washington City Council meeting July 18, where they asked municipal decision-makers to consider $500 “economic relief” checks, to help cover some residents’ utility bill payments amid rising costs of living.

The first speaker, identified on the city’s comment sign-up sheet as Ms. Amigan, weighed in with the help of a Spanish translator. She said a one-time relief check could provide a life-changing amount of money for her household.

“I’m a woman facing ongoing medical conditions that make it impossible for me to work and financially support my husband,” she said. “Growing inflation has negatively impacted my ability to cover basic services … this financial support would be of vital importance to me, as it could allow me to cope with price increases and ensure the coverage of my basic needs.”

The second, Eduardo Hernandez, said the money would help his family as well, and argued that it would have a wider-reaching economic benefit than may appear at first glance.

“By helping me stay afloat, you will be supporting a hardworking citizen who actively contributes to our community,” Hernandez said. “You will be sending a powerful message of solidarity and compassion toward all citizens facing economic hardship due to the pandemic.”

Although neither speaker mentioned affiliation with an organization at the meeting, a spokesperson from Escucha Mi Voz later said both were members of the advocacy group. The group last spoke with council members in March, requesting $500 utility bill relief for up to 600 residents with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level. The council did not vote on that proposal, and it has not appeared on an agenda since.

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In the interim, the Washington Area Ministerial Association has agreed to administer the payments, if they’re approved by council members. The Escucha Mi Voz spokesperson said the association’s decision prompted its members’ return to city hall last week.

Ministerial Association Co-chair Nick Stoddard said the group had overseen similar efforts in the past, including Salvation Army fund management, some “general assistance” financial efforts, and an upcoming school supply drive.

“It’s a way of trying to alleviate one of the hurdles, mentally, for the counselors if they were thinking, ‘That’s just one more administrative headache for us,’” Stoddard said. “If you’re going to say no to this because you don’t want to commit staff time to it, we can offer personnel time, if that helps it go through … we’ll take that on, if that’s what you need.”

While he said he couldn’t speak for the political beliefs other members of the association or their affiliated congregations, Stoddard said the relief checks were a cause worth supporting.

“Economic equity, and justice, is very important in our religious tradition,” he said. “It’s incredibly important for local communities and churches, as part of local communities, to stand up and say, ‘We believe this is important.’ All of our neighbors are dignified people of equal value here, and there needs to be equity.”

The likelihood of Washington’s city council deciding in favor of the $500 relief checks is anyone’s guess.

The council voted 4-2 against a request from Escucha Mi Voz for payments to excluded workers in April of 2022, but has since replaced one of those no-votes — Steve Gault — with a new council member — Ivan Rangel — who has not stated an opinion on the proposal.

A city financial report dated May 31 showed a balance of $998,643.41 left in its American Rescue Plan Act fund. The price tag on the latest Escucha Mi Voz request works out to $300,000, assuming the full $500 amount is paid by all 600 recipients expected by the group.

While that would leave almost 70% of the money unspent, some council members have previously suggested using the funds on big-ticket items like water and road infrastructure improvements, which may be mutually exclusive with other spending depending on the cost.

Some elected officials have expressed hesitation about using city funds for direct payments at all, at least in similar discussion.

”I don’t disagree that they need the support … I truly believe it is certainly a prime directive from Jesus that we support local needy people through our churches and I certainly support that,“ Council Member Earnest said in 2022, of the excluded worker payments requested at that time. She went on to make the caveat, ”A government entity is not the correct people to be dealing with this problem.“

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com