Late Friday afternoon, the Michigan Department of Treasury released their guidance and reporting packet related to the $150 million of federal CARES Act funding that was appropriated to local governments in place of the $97 million that was cut from statutory revenue sharing payments due to the elimination of the August 2020 CVTRS payment. This budget cut and the related federal CARES funding appropriation does not impact any local unit’s Constitutional Revenue Sharing payment. Municipalities should have received their Constitutional payments and these separate federal CARES distributions at the end of August.
The federal funding was apportioned to provide approximately 150% of what local unit would have received in their normal August CVTRS distribution and have specific expenditure restrictions dictated by the enacting federal legislation. The Michigan Municipal League continues to urge Congressional leaders and Michigan’s congressional delegation to provide flexibility to these existing dollars and to appropriate additional direct, flexible support to all of Michigan’s local governments. Please continue talking with your Member of Congress about the need to increase flexibility for these dollars to ensure their effectiveness and fiscal relief.
The federal funds appropriated in place of the August CVTRS payments have a certification report due to the Michigan Department of Treasury by September 23rd, followed by subsequent reporting deadlines identified by Treasury in the guidance packet.
The following is the notice that Treasury sent out on Friday…
Due to the FY 2020 budget cuts, the August payments for the City, Village, and Township Revenue Sharing (CVTRS), County Revenue Sharing (CRS) and County Incentive Program (CIP) were eliminated. Local units did not receive these payments in August.
However all cities, villages, townships and counties that were eligible to receive an August 2020 CVTRS, CRS or CIP payment received a Coronavirus Relief Local Government Grants (CRLGG) Program payment on August 31, 2020. This payment is not a replacement for the revenue sharing payments eliminated in August, and can only be used for CARES Act eligible expenditures.
Local units must review the CRLGG & Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) Grant Requirements document and submit the CRLGG Grant Opening Certification, to the Michigan Department of Treasury by 11:59 p.m. EST on September 23, 2020 in order for the local unit to accept the CRLGG funds received. The CRLGG Grant Opening Certification must be signed by the qualified local unit’s chief administrative officer. CRLGG Grant Opening Certifications can be returned to the Michigan Department of Treasury via email at [email protected] or fax to 517-335-3298.
If a local unit does not submit a completed and signed CRLGG Grant Opening Certification, the local unit will be required to return the CRLGG funding received by September 30, 2020 using Form 5733 – CRLGG Return of Funds Received. Form 5733 will be located on the CRLGG website early next week.
If you have any questions, let us know.
Revenue Sharing and Grants Division – Michigan Department of Treasury
517-335-0155
Chris Hackbarth is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 and [email protected].