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Governor, Ohio Republicans Announce Distribution For Over $420 Million In CARES Act Funding

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — As Ohio hit another record in both coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, Gov. Mike DeWine and a group of Republican state lawmakers announced how the state will distribute more than $420 million in federal CARES Act funding to people, operations and groups affected by the pandemic.

A sign at Easton Town Center in Columbus, advertising that stores, bars and restaurants are open following coronavirus closures.
A sign at Easton Town Center in Columbus, advertising that stores, bars and restaurants are open following coronavirus closures. [Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau]
DeWine said he’ll ask the state controlling board on Monday for permission to spend $125 million on grants for small businesses, $45 million for nonprofits and the arts and $37.5 million for bars and restaurants.

“We know that’s not going to make them whole, that not going to put them back to where we were, but it will help. We may have an opportunity later on to get some more money to them,” DeWine said.

61% of Ohio’s restaurants said in a survey from the Ohio Restaurant Association that they may have to close in the next nine months.

The CARES Act package also includes $100 million for higher education, $62 million for rural and critical access hospitals, $50 million for rental, mortgage, water and sewer utility assistance, and $4.6 million for law enforcement.

House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes said in a statement this is long overdue. She added: “House Republicans ignored us and the pleas of our constituents and instead held onto this money until the opportunity when they could use it to their own political advantage by manufacturing their own ‘October surprise.’”