PROVIDENCE — Governor Dan McKee said the state should spend about $100 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds by the end of the year on small business help, housing and child care.
McKee outlined his priorities in broad strokes at a news conference on Tuesday. The state has about $1.1 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds available, so his proposed outlay would consume about 10 percent of that — what McKee called a “down payment” for the state’s future. Rhode Island is the only state in New England, and among the minority in the country, to not have spent any of its American Rescue Plan Act money.
The state should use the rest of the money on long-term investments, McKee said. He cited infrastructure, climate change, health, equity and education as areas to use the money.
On small businesses, McKee cited things like helping minority- and women-owned businesses, and financial and tech assistance. On housing, McKee said they could build hundreds of units of affordable housing. And on child care, McKee said the state should support retention bonuses and also help more child care centers actually open.
McKee said he’d work collaboratively with the General Assembly on how to spend the money, but his administration — Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor briefed reporters after the news conference — did not offer specifics on what that process would look like.
Legislative leaders, on the other hand, were more specific:
“The ARPA funds will be allocated through the state normal appropriation process, similar to the budget. The General Assembly will appropriate the funding and the Governor will act upon it (sign, let it go into law without his signature, or veto),” Greg Pare and Larry Berman, spokesman for Senate and House leadership respectively, said in an email.
They also said they looked forward to vetting McKee’s proposals, and would have an open and transparent process.