For the Tomahawk Leader
MADISON — Governor Tony Evers announced on Monday, Nov. 29 that $205,769,426.00 had been directed to the 1,825 participating Wisconsin local governments under the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program.
The funds were directed to cities, towns, and villages with a population of less than 50,000 in Wisconsin by the federal government under the ARPA SLFRF program. The amount allocated to each local government is based on a specific formula largely based on population, according to a release from Evers’s office.
A total of $328,659.26 was allocated to the City of Tomahawk, according to Department of Revenue (DOR) data. The City of Merrill will receive $947,041.08, while $799,877.10 was earmarked for the City of Rhinelander.
“Under the SLFRF program, counties, large municipalities, and tribal governments received their own allocation from the federal government,” the release stated. “Non-entitlement units, those under 50,000 in population, received their distribution from the state. The DOR, in conjunction with the Department of Administration (DOA), has been working to ensure that all Wisconsin non-entitlement units apply for and receive their share of these ARPA dollars. The state also worked closely with the Wisconsin Towns Association and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities to alert all 1,828 local governments of the opportunity for these ARPA dollars and assist them in creating plans to spend the dollars in accordance with U.S. Treasury guidance.”
The release said that, according to U.S. Treasury guidance, examples of uses for these funds include, but are not limited to, “supporting the public health response to COVID-19; addressing negative economic impacts of COVID-19; improving water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure; paying premiums for essential workers; and replacing public sector revenue losses.”
“Each non-entitlement community will make their own decisions in line with the Treasury guidance about how to spend these ARPA dollars,” the release stated. “They have until 2024 to obligate the funds and until 2026 to spend the funds. These same local governments will receive a second payment, equal to the payment being announced today in 2022, bringing the total funding made available to over $411 million.”
“I am very pleased to report that so many of our local communities and governments are taking advantage of these federal funds to make improvements in their communities that they otherwise would not have had the funds to do,” Evers stated. “From addressing the public health impacts of the pandemic to investing in needed critical infrastructure, to helping ensure families and businesses financially recover, these funds will allow local governments to invest in their community’s unique needs and will make a major difference for Wisconsinites across our state.”
“I’m very proud of the work of the DOR team and our partner organizations who worked tirelessly to answer questions from the local governments, thereby making the 99.99% success rate possible,” said DOR Secretary Peter Barca. “Local leaders told us how vital their funds will be to their recovery and that of their local citizens.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic touched every corner of our state, and in many cases the ARPA SLFRF funds provided a much-needed lifeline to our communities,” DOA Secretary Joel Brennan stated. “Thanks to the key partnerships which made this successful roll-out possible, we’re now able to see our local economies bounce back stronger than ever.”
Local funding data
Municipality 2019 Census Population Total ARPA Allocation
City of Tomahawk 3,140 $328,659.26
City of Merrill 9,048 $947,041.08
City of Rhinelander 7,642 $799,877.10
Town of Birch 592 $61,963.78
Town of Bradley 2,366 $247,645.80
Town of Corning 869 $90,956.97
Town of Harding 370 $38,727.37
Town of Harrison 807 $84,467.52
Town of Hazelhurst 1,263 $132,196.38
Town of Hill 314 $32,865.93
Town of King 846 $88,549.60
Town of Knox 332 $34,749.96
Town of Little Rice 305 $31,923.91
Town of Lynne 142 $14,862.93
Town of Merrill 2,943 $308,039.56
Town of Nokomis 1,366 $142,977.25
Town of Ogema 682 $71,383.95
Town of Pine River 1,777 $185,996.02
Town of Rock Falls 607 $63,533.81
Town of Russell 662 $69,290.58
Town of Schley 923 $96,609.08
Town of Scott 1,429 $149,571.36
Town of Skanawan 383 $40,088.06
Town of Spirit 268 $28,051.17
Town of Somo 107 $11,199.54
Town of Tomahawk 414 $43,332.78
Town of Wilson 310 $32,447.25
NOTE: Municipalities will receive one half of the allocated funds in 2021 and the remaining half in 2022. Data courtesy of DOR. A full list of funding recipients is available at www.revenue.wi.gov/Pages/SLF/ARPA.aspx.