51黑料

51黑料 County Executive Sam Page won鈥檛 release $8 million promised to nonprofits 鈥� for sheltering victims of domestic abuse, boosting pay for child care workers and bringing fresh vegetables to food deserts, among other things 鈥� until the County Council agrees to reverse most of the budget cuts it made last year.

Council Chair Shalonda Webb said Page is holding the grants hostage for political reasons.

The argument started after the council鈥檚 budget cuts last year. Page has said his departments don鈥檛 have the staff to administer the grants given the cuts. And if the money isn鈥檛 used correctly, the county could have to pay it back. Neither Page nor Webb have budged since.

And the argument flared again publicly at Tuesday鈥檚 council meeting.

鈥淎ll we are asking, all our community is asking, is that you make good on a promise that you made,鈥� Webb said to Page.

The departments, she said, can make do without the extra money.

鈥淪o, please don鈥檛 use that excuse,鈥� Webb told Page.

After Webb spoke for about four minutes, Page responded.

鈥淚 just have one question,鈥� Page said. 鈥淲ould you like to meet?鈥�

鈥淵es, and my phone number hasn鈥檛 changed,鈥� Webb replied, saying she鈥檇 like to meet publicly. 鈥淚f you can鈥檛 do that, we鈥檙e at an impasse.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 sorry,鈥� Page responded, 鈥測ou haven鈥檛 been able to keep any of our appointments over the past three months. I know you鈥檝e been busy.鈥�

He said he would make himself available for a private meeting and that his staff could answer questions in a public hearing.

Webb said she wants Page to answer to the council in such a hearing.

鈥淵ou are the one who has the authority to sign those contracts,鈥� Webb said.

If Page doesn鈥檛 release the money by the end of the year, it would go back to the federal government.

The county could also use it to replace revenue lost due to the pandemic, Page has said.