New Orleans is to get 'the lion’s share' of federal COVID-19 stimulus money allocated for local governments and counties.
Of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law last month by President Joe Biden, East Baton Rouge will receive $167.2 million where Orleans Parish will receive $377.3 million according to estimates from the National Association of Counties.
This comes despite Orleans Parish having a population of only 390,150, about 11% smaller than East Baton Rouge.
Why is New Orleans getting more money? As The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate reports, congressional aides say the bill used formulas for calculating federal anti-poverty funding distribution under the Community Development Block Grant program rather than population number.
For context, Jefferson Parish is set to receive $83.8 million, and West Baton Rouge to receive $5.1 million in COVID-19 federal recovery money.