The Act also allows for payments to eligible units of local government for expenses incurred due to the public health emergency. Unfortunately, these payments were only made available to cities and counties with populations of 500,000 or more. So, while our neighbors in Jacksonville qualified for the funding and were able to offer $1,000 stimulus payments to their residents, Nassau County cannot because we don’t meet the population threshold.
On April 15, 2020, the Board of County Commissioners approved a Resolution advising Congress to amend the Act, citing that communities with populations under 500,000 have also been affected and are in need of emergency assistance for individuals, families and businesses. The Resolution urged Congress to reduce requirements for local units of government from populations that exceed 500,000 to populations that exceed 50,000, in an effort to secure funding for Nassau County.
To date, no amendments to the Act have been made by Congress, however the Board will continue to follow this issue closely.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the County Manager’s Office at (904) 530-6010.
Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office