BOCA RATON, Fla. — Multiple city officials sent a letter Wednesday to the Palm Beach County mayor in an effort to recoup costs spent this year battling the coronavirus.
The group who signed the letter includes officials from a variety of positions from Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Jupiter and West Palm Beach.
The letter cites that on June 10, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced counties that have already received payment from the U.S. Treasury should provide funds to municipalities "on a reimbursement basis for expenditures eligible under the CARES Act."
The CARES Act is a $2 trillion economic relief package passed by Congress in March. A portion of that money established the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund to help state and local governments.
In May, the county said they were given $261 million related to the CARES Act.
Boca Raton Councilman Andy Thomson states in the letter to Mayor Dave Kerner that Palm Beach County has "already received direct payment from the U.S. Department of Treasury…" and the county "should be reimbursing municipalities for their eligible expenditures."
In the letter, Boca Raton Councilman Andy Thomson said his city spent more than $2 million on COVID-related supplies and personal protective equipment.
Thomson said "we have not received any indication as to when Palm Beach County will be issuing these critical reimbursements" and "how such reimbursements will be processed."
In addition to officials from multiple cities in Palm Beach County, the letter was signed by Democratic U.S. Reps. Ted Deutch, Lois Frankel and Alcee Hastings.