GARDEN GROVE will be getting $50 million under the American Rescue Plan. The city is soliciting public input on how to spend that money (Shutterstock).

The City of Garden Grove is seeking input on community priorities, such as fiscal sustainability, public safety, infrastructure, and other quality-of-life needs to allocate $50.6 million in COVID-19 federal relief funds the city will receive under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021.

Through Tuesday, June 22, 2021, the city is encouraging Garden Grove residents and business owners to complete a brief online survey that will help the city develop a plan that will be implemented in the city’s fiscal year 2021-2023 biennial budget. The survey is available at ggcity.org/arp.

“These relief funds are of tremendous assistance to our city and will help maintain the high-level of local government services that our community has come to expect,” said Garden Grove Mayor Steve Jones.

Since March 2020, the city experienced a $25.7 million loss of revenue, 90 percent of which was due to the loss in hotel transient occupancy tax. An additional $19 million loss of revenue is estimated through the fiscal year 2021-2022.

“Over the last year, the city has taken rigorous measures to maintain its financial health with minimal impact to the community. These measures included a hiring freeze, defunding 22 city staff positions, and deferring maintenance, equipment, and capital purchases,” said Garden Grove City Manager Scott Stiles.

The $1.9 trillion ARP Act of 2021, signed by President Joe Biden, is an aggressive two-step stimulus plan that addresses public health and economic crisis, while providing needed emergency funding to families, communities, and small businesses.

For information about the ARP, including an overview of Garden Grove’s allocation, visit ggcity.org/arp.