Guide to Local Recovery Update: August 4

City leaders are encouraged to join the League of California Cities in urging Congress to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a comprehensive infrastructure package; and a number of webinars are available this month on how cities can utilize American Rescue Plan funds to advance equity in their communities. 

Encourage Congress to Pass Infrastructure Funding that Invests in Communities

On July 28, the U.S. Senate voted to move forward with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bipartisan infrastructure package that invests in the nation’s transportation, water, and broadband infrastructure systems. The League of California Cities is encouraging city leaders to share support and final suggestions by drafting a letter and sending it to their Senators. The National League of Cities (NLC) has provided a template and further information on their website.

American Rescue Plan Act Webinars

NLC will host several webinars centered around families and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The first webinar, How Cities Can Help Cut Child Poverty In Their Community, on August 5 at 11 a.m. PST, looks at how cities can help cut child poverty in their community through refundable tax credits, a crucial tool to help families meet their financial needs. ARPA includes an enhanced child tax credit that can significantly stabilize family budgets and has the potential to significantly cut child poverty across the country due to changes to the Child Tax Credit. Refundable tax credits have been a crucial tool to help families meet their financial needs. Similarly, NLC will host a Financing and Resourcing for Early Childhood Success webinar on August 10 at 11:00 a.m. PST. Early childhood investments are essential factors in reopening our economy. Join this webinar to hear from local leaders how they are financing and resourcing early childhood success.

Relatedly, NLC will host a webinar, How ARPA Is Helping Cities Improve Health Equity, on August 11 at 11:00 a.m. PST. ARPA funds present the opportunity to expand health equity. The webinar will include panelists who will discuss how to navigate ARPA funding for health equity goals, share their tested ideas and solutions to achieve equitable health outcomes, and conclude with a Q&A opportunity. 

City officials looking for additional information about the American Rescue Plan Act and additional tools for recovery can visit the Cal Cities Guide to Local Recovery webpage.