Oklahoma City To Spend $114 Million In CARES Act Money Immediately

Fighting COVID-19 is costing Oklahoma City millions, but help has arrived.

Oklahoma City is getting $114 million in CARES Act money that needs to be spent by the end of the year.

All the PPE, cleaning supplies, even the Zoom account the city now has can be covered by the federal aid.

Thirty million dollars will go to community wide testing and tracing.

Twenty million dollars will help families with things like utilities or paying rent and be used to help local businesses.

Five million dollars will go to the “Small Business Continuity Fund.”

The city's original $5.5 million was quickly disbursed after local small businesses requested more than $20 million in aid.

“We are waiting for guidance from the U.S. Treasury,” said OKC Assistant City Manager Kenny Tsoodle, on other ways the money can be used during a budget deficit year.

The city will immediately reach out to contractors to get programs in place.

Also Tuesday, the City Council announced a budget cut to its general fund of more than 5%.

Right now, the city says no first responder jobs will be cut, but they are putting a hiring freeze on police and fire.