Aguilar helps secure $8 million in coronavirus funding for West suburbs

Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar joins County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in detailing COVID-19 relief funds

Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar joined Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in announcing millions of dollars available for suburban communities facing unexpected expenses due to COVID-19.

Nearly $8 million has been designated for 18 west suburban communities in Cook County’s 16^th District, providing support for the reimbursement of direct expenses like the purchase of personal protective equipment, payment of overtime and hazard pay, redesigning workspaces and other expenses incurred while ensuring the safety of employees and the public.

“No one came into 2020 expecting a need to budget funds for a global pandemic. No one could have anticipated businesses shutting down, schools closing, parents being laid off and our residents being forced to stay inside their homes. But it happened,” said Commissioner Aguilar (D-Cicero).

“So many of my constituents are frontline workers which resulted in a disproportionate number of cases in my district. These funds will ensure our communities have additional resources to not only cover the unexpected expenses from this pandemic, but to allow them to continue providing services to those who need it most.”

Preckwinkle said Cook County received approximately $429 million from the CARES Act. Of that, $51 million will be made directly available to suburban communities. Her office designated those funds based on an innovative and thoughtful model that considers each municipality’s population, median income and public health statistics.

“Developing an enormous grant program from the ground up with little guidance from the federal government has been a giant undertaking and we are pleased to start getting money to our towns, cities and villages,” Preckwinkle said.

Commissioner Aguilar thanked President Preckwinkle for her leadership and commitment to working with elected officials to provide much-needed support to our communities. Each 16^th District municipality must apply for the funds, but is eligible to receive:

Cicero- $1,062,912.77
Bedford Park- $211,212.37
Bellwood- $599,698.99
Berkeley- $192,956.06
Berwyn- $788,351.45
Broadview- $489,935.86
Brookfield- $449,242.95
Forest Park- $295,976.31
Hodgkins- $167,372
Justice- $497,151.16
La Grange- $209,122.55
Lyons- $454,285.13
McCook- $68,042.36
Melrose Park- $657,556.39
North Lake- $368,441.03
Riverside- $124,718.94
Stickney- $543,051.86
Summit- $629,244.46

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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