Chicago Mayor Spent $281 Million Of COVID-19 Relief On Police Payroll binnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from binnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By Ryan Shepard
Chicago residents and local lawmakers have raised concerns after reports show Chicago Mayor
Lori Lightfoot spent nearly 25% of the city s COVID-19 relief funds on police payroll. Numerically speaking, the city reportedly received $1.2 billion in COVID-19 relief aid from the federal government and $281.5 million went to the police department. This news came to light after Lightfoot asked the city council to transfer $65 million of unused COVID-19 relief aid to the 2021 budget.
Reports of $281.5 million being funneled to the police department run contrary to statements made in June. Last summer, Chicago Budget Director
Susie Park reportedly told local officials that no relief aid had been spent on the police department. Now, the Chicago Office of Management and Budget is telling local media outlets that specific coronavirus-related police costs between March and May were later identified for federal reimbursement once coronavirus relief money started arriving.