Dear Editor,
When considering choices in the upcoming November election, we must credit the Biden administration for assisting our population in hard times. In March of this year, the response to the emergency caused by the collapse of the Baltimore Bridge was quick.
Then, this month, Texas was declared a disaster state due to its historically damaging floods, and federal help was on the way.
But even more locally, Biden’s American Rescue Plan, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, sent almost $3.5 million to the Greene County Board of Commissioners.
These funds helped to pay for the Sheriff and EMS/ Fire payroll and upgrades to the Public Safety Annex and jail. Scores of local businesses and individuals in Greene County each received between $10,000 to $15,000 in direct payments to get back on their feet. More than 50 businesses received $21,000 in loans, typically forgiven.
According to USAspending.gov, Oconee Valley Health Care got more than $4 million in grants. This website provides information for all counties in the state.
The Board of Education budget for 2022 included almost $5 million funded by the CARES Act, including the ability to hire more positions to recover learning loss and expanded broadband coverage for remote learning.
Last year, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act earmarked $1.75 billion for the state of Georgia, and a portion will be funneled to Greene County. This will help with upgrades to our airport, water/sewer treatment, and transportation infrastructure, which we know needs improvement.
Do you recall that last year in Greene County, most of us enjoyed a reduction in our home property tax? We can thank the federal government programs for subsidizing us here.
When it comes time to vote for the presidency in the November election, let’s remember we are all in this together. Yes, I am better off now than I was in 2020.
And so is Greene County.
Thank you to our current administration for that.
R. Pandina, Greensboro