By Veronica Cabrera
Published 11/14/2023 8:07 Am PST

The purpose of the ARP (American Rescue Plan) federal economic aid was to help the families most affected by COVID. Its intent was not to provide government institutions with general funding. It appears that our elected officials were not content enough with already-allotted public revenue, so they grabbed funds that should have been given to the poorest. Pomona has 150,000 residents with the current income per capita of $2000 per month. The poverty rate in Pomona is 17.9% of the population, that translates into 27,000 people living in poverty. The city was allocated 45.37 million in ARP funds and the unacceptable use of those funds has been the following:

• 1.5 million was allocated to the mayor.

• 750,000 to each council member to be used in their respective districts.

• 630,750 of the ARP funds went to the Latino and Latina Round Table to create jobs. It will only create two jobs because it will play the role of an employment agency.

• 400,000 was approved for concerts like the one of the Tigres del Norte, which the mayor announced here that it was a free concert. But the truth is that the city paid $160,000 for that concert.

• 7.2 million was for replacement of public restrooms, construction in the park, rehabilitation of streets. About half a million approximately was for city related Pandemic support.

• $600,000 for real time crime center which includes live feed cameras.

• 1,000,000 for technology and efficient operation.

• 400 families will receive $500 per month for two years, a total of 12,000 per family, or 4.8 million.
  

40 million will be used for everything but its original purpose, which is to help the families most affected by COVID. So how are the rest of the 26,500 poor families supposed to cope with the effects of the Pandemic on them? How are they being helped by the new public toilets, fixed rates or high technology and the government offices?  Thank you. 

The city meeting documents related to the American Rescue Plan can be found in the city meeting link provided. click here to find the meetings links. 

Español 

El Federal entrego dinero para la gente mas vulnerable y afectada por el COVID. El Proposito era para ayudar a la gente, no a las instituciones gubernamentales. No contentos suficientes con todo el ingreso público que recibe la ciudad, se atreven a agarrar fondos entregados para los más pobres.

Pomona tiene 150,000 habitantes. Los ingresos de per cápita es de 2000 dolares por mes. El porcentaje de pobreza en Pomona es del 17.9, que son 27000 habitantes.

A la ciudad se le asignaron 45 Millone para ese proposito pero el uso inaceptable es:

• 1.5 millones al City Mayor 

• 750,000 a cada consejo para que sean utilizados en sus respectivos distritos conforme lo consideren. 

• 630,000 fueron entregados al a la institución latino o latina round table para crear realmente 2 empleos, porque los demás fueron gastos para-altos funcionarios.

• 400,000 dolares fueron aprobados para conciertos y eventos como los del Tigre del Norte para un término de 4 años, El cual el City Mayor dijo aquí, que la ciudad no había pagado nada por ese concierto, pero si se pagaron 160,000 dolares de los fondos del América Rescue Plan.

•  7.2 millones se usaron para reemplazar a construcciones de baños y parques, calles.

• $544.100 apoyos a la ciudad a la ciudad una o sea la institución a las oficinas.  

• $600,000 fueron para cámaras y 1000000 para tecnología y operación.

• 400 familias fueron beneficiadas con 500 USD al mes por 2 años en un total de 12000 dolares. En total se dieron a la gente menos de 5M.

• 40M se usaron para todo menos para su objetivo principal. 

Yo me pregunto, en que les beneficia al resto de las 26.500 personas pobres los baños públicos nuevos, calles arregladas. y alta tecnología en los aparatos gubernamentales?

Para encontra documentos oficiales relacionados con la informacion mencionada, haz click here.