CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is trying to moderate expectations about the money the city may receive from the $1.9 trillion relief package President Biden is expected to sign Friday.
Mayor Lightfoot did not want to detail what her administration has planned for money it’s likely to get from the COVID-19 relief bill.
"Let’s get the money first," she said, adding that the devil is in the details.
Mayor Lightfoot is cautioning the City Council and the public not to think of the federal stimulus money as some kind of “slush fund” to use any way they desire. There will probably be strict rules.
"My expectation is that the money is going to come like the CARES Act came through specific grants that have specific requirements on how the money could be spent, so I want to diffuse people out there and our colleagues in City Council, this is not $1.9 trillion of a slush fund that we can use every way that we can," Lightfoot said.
The Mayor expects that, like the CARES Act money that came earlier, some may be earmarked for health care and vaccinations, or homelessness and housing, for example.
"It's money to be sure, and it's a lot of money, but most of it is coming, I believe, with a lot of strings attached and how we can utilize those funds," Lightfoot said. "We have got to be very smart about how we utilize those monies to make sure we have maximum impact as intended by the Congress."
The Mayor spoke with reporters after signing an executive order to help minority- and women-owned businesses survive and take part in city contracting.
Meantime, the leader of a group representing Chicago restaurants said the relief package will contain grants for individual restaurateurs.
But, Roger Romanelli of the Chicago Restaurants Coalition said it won't be enough and the city could do more.
He said the city should redirect surplus funds from tax-increment financing to help Chicago restaurants. Also, Romanelli said the city should ease reopening guidelines on restaurants.
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