League Weekly COVID-19 Update: Aug. 13-19
Aug 18, 2020
The reports will be due on Sept. 4, and detailed information has been provided to city managers and fiscal officers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new executive order directing state agencies across government to bridge the digital divide, building on the state’s efforts to provide computing devices and hotspots to students across the state. The order outlines actions across state agencies to accelerate mapping, data collection, funding, deployment, and adoption of high speed internet.
The big seven state and local groups issued a press statement Aug. 13 about the failed talks on Capitol Hill. The U.S. Senate is now on recess until Labor Day, and the House will not return until mid-September. This statement represents the state and local groups coming together to advocate for their residents, and says that “the failure of Congress to reach a compromise on a new coronavirus relief package imperils the ability of state and local government to maintain sound operations and critical services for residents, and puts jobs further at risk for the 15 million public servants carrying out services on the ground ranging from health care to education to public safety."
The League will continue to put pressure on the California congressional delegation and will be providing additional action items for cities in the coming weeks.
Below is a brief recap of recent and ongoing significant COVID-19 developments.
State Updates![]()
Federal Updates
The National League of Cities (NLC) released its City Fiscal Conditions Report Aug. 13, and it’s stunning in showing how fast revenues for cities, towns, and villages are falling. The revenue decline that took six years for cities to fully feel in the Great Recession is already happening in just the few short months of this economic downturn, and it will not go away easily. It took over a decade for local revenues to bounce back from the Great Recession, and it is predicted that it will take years for local economies to recover from this recession. The Wall Street Journal and Axios published news stories prior to the report release.
For more Information
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new executive order directing state agencies across government to bridge the digital divide, building on the state’s efforts to provide computing devices and hotspots to students across the state. The order outlines actions across state agencies to accelerate mapping, data collection, funding, deployment, and adoption of high speed internet.
The big seven state and local groups issued a press statement Aug. 13 about the failed talks on Capitol Hill. The U.S. Senate is now on recess until Labor Day, and the House will not return until mid-September. This statement represents the state and local groups coming together to advocate for their residents, and says that “the failure of Congress to reach a compromise on a new coronavirus relief package imperils the ability of state and local government to maintain sound operations and critical services for residents, and puts jobs further at risk for the 15 million public servants carrying out services on the ground ranging from health care to education to public safety."
The League will continue to put pressure on the California congressional delegation and will be providing additional action items for cities in the coming weeks.
Below is a brief recap of recent and ongoing significant COVID-19 developments.
State Updates
- Ahead of New School Year, California Schools Receive Critical Funds to Support Distance Learning and Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order Directing State Agencies to Bridge Digital Divide (8/14/20)
- Governor Newsom Provides Update on California’s COVID-19 Response and Action to Support Economic Recovery (8/12/20)
- Daily COVID-19 Facts – California Department of Public Health
- Cal OES Key Messages regarding COVID-19/Daily Information – California Office of Emergency Services
The National League of Cities (NLC) released its City Fiscal Conditions Report Aug. 13, and it’s stunning in showing how fast revenues for cities, towns, and villages are falling. The revenue decline that took six years for cities to fully feel in the Great Recession is already happening in just the few short months of this economic downturn, and it will not go away easily. It took over a decade for local revenues to bounce back from the Great Recession, and it is predicted that it will take years for local economies to recover from this recession. The Wall Street Journal and Axios published news stories prior to the report release.
For more Information
- COVID-19 Resources and Information for Cities – League of California Cities