U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown introduced legislation to create a federal fund to provide direct assistance to cities, townships, villages and counties dealing with financial issues because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Over and over, I hear the same thing from communities large and small, rural and urban: They need more resources from the federal government,” Brown, D-Cleveland, said Wednesday. “I’m hopeful that with a new administration and a new Congress, we’re finally going to be able to provide all Ohio communities with the help they need.”

Asked about the 60 votes needed to defeat a filibuster in the Senate on his proposal, Brown pointed to the tax cut approved Dec. 20, 2017, by Republicans 51-48 that was done under budget reconciliation. That process allows the Senate to approve certain budgetary legislation on spending, revenue and the debt limit without needing 60 votes.

The Senate is 50-50, but controlled by Democrats because Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, can break any ties.

Republicans “went through reconciliation and passed an almost $2 billion giveaway to the richest people in the country,” Brown said. “We will use the same process to give assistance to working families so they can survive during this pandemic.”

Brown said he didn’t want to go the reconciliation route if it can be avoided.

Brown’s Direct Support for Communities Act creates a fund to go directly to local government to help offset losses caused by the pandemic. The other federal COVID-19 relief bills had money go to businesses or states, with the latter then distributing funds to local governments.

Brown’s proposal gives 50 percent to counties and the other half to cities, villages and townships based on population.

He didn’t have a dollar figure Wednesday for how much money would be in the proposal.

But he said he backs Democratic President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal that includes $350 billion in state and local funding. Some Democrats have said that bill would be approved through reconciliation.

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Terrace Park, said another COVID-19 relief package should wait until after the money from the $900 billion bill, passed last month, is spent. He also objects to using reconciliation for approving COVID-19 relief plans, saying the suggestion is “really disappointing.”

Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown, a Democrat, said he supports Sherrod Brown’s proposal.

“If we’re going to help the people who need help the most you need to make sure that” local officials are in charge of the money — because they’re the ones who know what citizens need, he said.

The mayor said this shouldn’t be a political issue.

“We need to come together,” Brown said.

Cities such as Youngstown would use the money to make up funding shortfalls caused by the pandemic, he said.

Youngstown finished 2020 with income tax collections $2,348,000 under its projection and is expected to collect even less this year.

The city received $5,302,374 last year in federal COVID-19 relief funds to avoid a deficit in 2020 as well as keep it from having a shortfall this year.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com