On Tuesday morning, city of Miami mayor Francis Suarez, said the city is exploring the possibility of suing Miami-Dade county over CARES ACT funding.
Dade county received $474 million in federal funding from the CARES ACT, which stands for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security. Suarez said that Miami should have gotten $81million based on population. The county proposed $8 million. Dade was one of 12 counties in the state that was given this funding.
Miami-Dade county mayor Carlos Gimenez said no one reached out to him before the city of Miami had their press conference.
"Miami-Dade county is responsible for the over $400 million we received from the state and federal government ," Gimenez said. "We're not going to be writing a blank check to anybody."
(1/2) “Our citizens were entitled to receive, based on population, $81M in federal help and [the county offered] as little as $8M. They negotiated the entire time in bad faith”
ICYMI: Today’s press conference https://t.co/DG7L1z0Osi
— Mayor Francis Suarez (@FrancisSuarez) July 28, 2020
Gimenez listed multiple programs that received CARE funding, such as testing sites, the senior meal program, the small business program, and contact tracing.
Cities can be reimbursed for any COVID-19 related costs by submitting invoices to the county, Gimenez said.
"This money is meant to go to the people of Miami-Dade county, it's not meant to go to the governments of Miami-Dade county," Gimenez said.
Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez holds virtual press conference. https://t.co/HGA45ATPrc
— Miami-Dade County (@MiamiDadeCounty) July 28, 2020
Every city in the county was sent a letter Tuesday morning explaining how the county would handle eligible expenses, along with a spreadsheet for them to report what has been spent and what they are intending to spend. It lists all of the expenses eligible for reimbursements. The county hopes to have all responses by August 3 so they can start reimbursements.
"All the city of Miami has to do is give us the invoice and we'll reimburse them," Gimenez said.
