Meet WashoeDEMS

The American Rescue Plan Act passed the House and Senate in 2021 and the funds are being distributed at the state, county and city levels. Between now and December 2026, over $91 million in federal funds will be invested by Washoe County to address the impact of COVID-19 in our region and enhance infrastructure.

For more information visit  https://www.washoecounty.gov/ARPA/

Federal Funds Information for States cited Nevada’s personal income growth, employment growth, and population growth as the reason it had the strongest state economic comback in all of America. The Index of State Economic Momentum ranks states based on their most recent performance in those three key measures of economic vitality. Nevada took top spot.

: Vote-by-Mail Ballots Made Permanent

Democrats have protected voting rights for EVERY Nevadan, and expanded them. Nevadan’s voting rights have been protected and expanded by permanently establishing safe and secure mail-in voting. With the passage of Assembly Bill 321 during the 2021 Legislative Session, all registered voters will receive a ballot by mail. Nevadans can now vote from the safety of their home. 

“The rest of the country is fighting for voting rights,” Gov. Steve Sisolak said. “They are fighting for what we already have in the state of Nevada because we have a Democratic Legislature and a Democratic Governor that made voting a priority. And we’re going to continue to make it a priority.”

Washoe County Voters Helped Swing Nevada Blue & Nevada Helped Swing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

Nevada is expected to get $4 billion over five years for highways, transit, broadband, airports and drought mitigation thanks to the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill. 

This Godsend to Nevada’s aging infrastructure will help meet critcal needs of Nevadans, and generate a great number of good paying jobs. 

The funding will help Nevada repair the 28 bridges and more than 1,090 miles of highway that are in such poor condition they add to commute times. According to the office of Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV), the average Nevada driver pays $558 in auto expenses per year because of roads in need of repair. He said these upgrades will help bring down those costs.

The White House says Nevada will also receive $459 million over five years to improve public transportation across the state.

Other investments include: 

• $100 million to help expand broadband connectivity across the state.  
• $14.2 billion Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which will subsidize the cost of broadband service for low-income families. About 825,000 Nevadans will be eligible for the benefit. 
• $293 million for airport infrastructure development
• $38 million to build electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure
• $403 million to improve water infrastructure and ensure access to clean, safe drinking water.
• $8 billion for wildfire prevention, risk reduction, detection and restoration, according to Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto‘s (D-NV) office. 
• $8.3 billion for Western water infrastructure and drought resilience
• $450 million for a new grant program to help fund large-scale water recycling projects in the Western U.S.

Source: https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/infrastructure-bill-more-than-4-billion-headed-to-nevada-for-roads-bridges-airports-and-broadband

$45 Million to Repair, Rebuild Bridges

Nevada will receive $45 million to repair, rebuild and replace bridges as part of a $27 billion program under the Department of Transportation that was authorized in the bipartisan infrastructure law, according to White House figures.

This will include improvements in the Reno-Sparks spaghetti bowl, said U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.

Source: https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/nevada/nevada-will-get-45m-for-bridge-repairs-under-infrastructure-bill-2513514/

The American Rescue Plan passed by the Democrat dominated House & Senate is providing more that $1 billion in federal funding for Nevada’s schools.

Top Priorities within Nevada’s Plan Include:

• Addressing interrupted learning
• Recruiting, supporting, and retaining effective educators
• Supporting social, emotional, and mental health for students, educators, and staff

Other Highlights include:

Safely Reopening Schools and Sustaining Safe Operations: For the 2021-2022 school year, the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) provided guidance and resources to ensure safe and welcoming learning environments for all students and maximized opportunities for in-person learning. In addition to detailing emergency plans for distance education in their reopening plans, Nevada districts continue to promote vaccinations among teachers, staff, families, and eligible students by providing information about COVID-19 vaccination, encouraging vaccine trust and confidence, and establishing supportive policies and practices that make getting vaccinated as easy and convenient as possible.

Supporting Students Most Impacted by the Pandemic: The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) is working to identify and supports to students most impacted by the pandemic with workbased career and technical education opportunities, credit recovery options, and social and emotional supports. These efforts will also support students who are not on track to complete high school as a result of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investing in Expanded Afterschool Programs: NDE will award $10.7 million in funds reserved for afterschool programs to districts through a competitive grant process that ensures afterschool programs are evidence-based and address the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on traditionally underserved student groups. Based on stakeholder feedback and data, the afterschool programs will support early learning, instructional support, credit recovery, and social and emotional support for students.

Supporting Students’ and Educators Social, Emotional, and Mental Health Needs: NDE will allocate $7.5 million to support districts and charter schools in hiring 100 additional school based mental health professionals, including school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and school mental health workers. Additionally, NDE will spend $1.7 million to hire a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support coach for every district.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education Approves Nevada’s Plan for Use of American Rescue Plan Funds

$4 million of of the American Rescue Plan Funds will be Committed to Expanding K-12 Robotics Programs Statewide. Read more here.

At least 10,000 Washoe residents don’t have internet access. Many more have internet speeds too slow to support real time interactive applications. This collaborative effort between Federal, state and local officials will provide high speed broadband internet to citizens who currently don’t have access using funds provided by the American Rescue Plan between now and Dec. 2026. The strategic approach is that by use of the NDOT fiber we will strength our backbone or backhaul to county services and be able to provide internet to citizens who do not have the means to access the internet. 

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, our reliance on internet connectivity has underscored the importance of broadband in underserved communities. Since the pandemic, millions of Americans began working from home, distance learning, and receiving medical and mental health services via the internet. 

Without broadband internet, members of our community would fall behind and be disadvantaged. By building the infrastructure needed today, we are preparing Nevada to be an economic powerhouse of tomorrow.

Sources: Washoe County ARPA Implementation, About American Rescue Plan Act

.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that Washoe County will receive $300,000 in federal funds for the next phase of the Virginia Street project. The funding will support planning for 12 additional bus stations to connect the Meadowood Mall to the south end of the Virginia Street corridor. This vital extension will create a public transportation route that runs the entire length of Virginia Street, from the Summit Mall in south Reno to the University of Nevada, Reno’s campus in the north.

“I continue to work to ensure that students and workers alike can get where they need to go in Reno, including through innovative, fast bus service along the Virginia Street corridor,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll always advocate for federal funding to support Reno’s public transportation and infrastructure needs, and I’m glad to see the Virginia Street project enter its next phase in its important work to connect neighborhoods across Reno.”

This grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will help the Regional Transit Commission of Washoe County (RTC) identify the optimal land use policies and patterns that will support 12 additional bus stations on the South Virginia Street RAPID extension. It will also ensure RTC can continue to coordinate with the private sector to improve connectivity, accessibility, and economic development throughout the Virginia Street corridor.

Senator Cortez Masto has been a strong supporter of Reno’s Virginia Street project to improve Reno’s main north-south road, make public transportation more accessible, and connect the University of Nevada, Reno with other Reno neighborhoods. In 2019, she helped secure $40 million in funding for the corridor. The next phase of the project will connect Reno residents with new retail areas, including the Reno Experience District and the Summit Mall, and make new and proposed multi-family, affordable, and senior housing more accessible. The Senator’s led her Innovation State Initiative to create new solutions to Nevada challenges, like her legislation to align transportation investments with housing needs that was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

Source: Cortez Masto Secures Funding For Next Phase Of Virginia Street Revitalization Project

This is a historic investment in Nevada’s safety and infrastructure. State officials plan to use the $75 million in the State Infrastructure Bank to build charter schools, meet the matching requirements for federal infrastructure funding, develop affortable housing and create good-paying jobs in the process. 

The pending proposal includes: 

• $20 million for an affordable housing investment fund
• up to $15 million for a charter school development and construction fund
• up to $40 million to help bring more federal infrastructure funding to the state

“This year we fully funded our roads and bridges,” Governor Steve Sisolak said. “This is the first time in state history that we’ve been able to do that. It’s an incredible asset for us – not just for good projects – but good jobs.”

“This long-overdue investment will create 500 new jobs and direct $75 million toward infrastructure improvements,” he said.

Source: State Infrastructure Bank’s priorities include housing, charter schools

Small businesses are the backbone of Nevada. Nevada is home to Over 280,000 small businesses, and they make up over 99% of businesses in the state.

Democrats know how critical it is to protect small business. That’s why House and Senate passed the American Rescue Plan in 2021 when Democrats took control. This enabled businesses to apply for emergency loans to relieve financial hardship resulting from the public health emergency.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said funds have gone toward saving more than 100,000 Nevada Small Businesses. 

The loans could cover declines in revenues or impacts of periods of business closure by supporting payroll and benefits costs, costs to retain employees, mortgage, rent, utilities costs, and other operating costs. ARPA funds may also be used to adopt safer operating procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Sources: Following Rosen-Led Advocacy, Small Business Administration Provides Additional Relief to Nevada Small Businesses, 

Nevada’s Democrats prove they are fiscally responsible by restoring 85% of Nevada’s previously empty rainy day fund. Nevada’s $401 million rainy day fund was drained to zero two years ago as the COVID pandemic gouged state finances. But it has been restored to 85 percent of its pre-pandemic level as economic conditions have rebounded. 

Additionally, it helps the state maintain good credit and reduce its borrowing costs because a solid fund balance indicates solvency and fiscal responsibility. Source: https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/nevada/state-rainy-day-fund-back-to-85-of-pre-covid-balance-2518682/