SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Mayor Frank Mullens and Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin are both balancing budgets and finances of the city from the financial hit taken by COVID-19.
Mullens appeared on a recent 580-LIVE on 580-WCHS and said he would like to see more flexibility by the federal government when it comes to what cities can spend CARES Act money on.
West Virginia received $1.25 billion from the $150 billion meant for the state, local and tribal governments. But the money is only meant to help pay for expenses or “necessary expenditures” associated with the COVID-19 virus.
Mullens appeared frustrated with the federal government with how the money is just sitting with the state because of the guidelines.
“The guidelines right now are coronavirus expenses only and simply don’t have a lot of expenses when it comes directly to the coronavirus and I’m sure other cities would tell you the same thing. We have to use that money wisely. It’s like a one glove fits all and it doesn’t,” he said.
He said he would like to see the guideline widened to allow local governments to offset the tax revenue drops.
“If the federal government would allow us to use that to backfill some revenues, we would be fine. Our services would get back up and running at 100 percent, the recreation facilities would get up and help small businesses possibly,” Mullens said.
Mullens said the city will remain to do everything in its power to help local businesses. He said the city has created new sidewalk ordinances allowing businesses to spread out and open.
“We want to do everything we can to help our small businesses to get back out there and opening back up. Anything we can do to help we want to be there and do that. We are trying to get out in front of things,” Mullens said.
Goodwin, dealing with a $100 million budget and 750 city employees, said her city is set for the return to work just like they were at the beginning with a declaration of emergency on March 15.
“Even though we haven’t received direction on when the city and state buildings are going to be fully open, we have our plan in place. It’s extremely detailed. We feel confident we are ready and going to keep everyone safe,” Goodwin said.
She admitted the virus stalled all momentum seen in the city for revenue. Goodwin said hotel-motel tax in Charleston was down 55 percent in April.
“Where we were seeing some really great revenues and surpluses coming in by June 30 we are now going to experience because of revenue shortfalls, hotel-motel tax for April are over,” Goodwin said on 580-LIVE.
As for the future in the city, Goodwin is ready to take it one day, one week at a time.
“This is a new virus, this is a new time. We are all going to have to be flexible, malleable to the information about experts in the field,” she said.