BOERNE, Texas – Mayors from small cities across Texas are asking Governor Greg Abbott to reconsider how they must use their federal pandemic emergency funds.
Officials say 75% of the money must go toward entities, which include health care, human services, and medical expenses. Dozens of mayors from smaller cities like Boerne signed a letter asking the governor to modify the spending breakdown. They said it benefits bigger cities with complex health care systems like San Antonio, but not smaller communities.
“We have one single emergency room that’s really tied into the San Antonio system,” said City of Boerne Communications Manager, Chris Shadrock.
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The other remaining 25% of the federal dollars can assist other entities like small businesses, but for more rural communities like Boerne that thrive off of the local economy, Shadrock says that’s not enough.
“These small businesses in a lot of these rural counties, that is the lifeblood of the economy that keeps things going,” Shadrock said.
Makers Place art studio owner Alicia Carillo says she and other Boerne business owners are struggling to stay in business.
“Work with less people, of course, because we used to have 24 people here. Now we have to limit the number of people,” Carillo said.
The city of Boerne received roughly $186,000 through the federal grant. We reached out to the governor’s office to find out if Boerne and other small communities are going be able to have more flexibility with spending the money, but have not received a response.
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