Unless you work for the District of Columbia, the impact of a federal government shutdown is likely to be minimal for city and county officials across the nation.
Local government agencies will largely be spared from any lasting implications of the federal government shutdown as they are rarely the recipients of significant federal funding.
“In reality, a week or two weeks or even three weeks – you’ll have little effect,” stated Lars Etzkorn In an interview with Governing. The program director for federal relations at the National League of Cities further added that “It’s not the end of the world.”
Some local leaders disagree.
“This city and its citizens already are suffering from the dire effects of sequestration,” San Diego Councilwoman Sherri Lightner said at a news conference. “A government shutdown would be a double-whammy, with devastating effects on our businesses, residents and operation of local, county and state governments.”
Indeed, the federal government shutdown will impact various regions in California.
Kern County Assistant Administrative Officer Nancy Lawson stated that several county operations that are bolstered by federal funds— including the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Kern County Fire Department and the Kern County Department of Human Services—are at risk of facing impact if the shutdown lasts more than 30 days.
Other counties have also embraced for the possibility of a government shutdown (see below). And across the state, municipal workers at military bases are at risk of being furloughed.
But on the whole, city and county services will experience few interruptions in their day-to-day operations.
Bond funding appears to be the most significant component of local government that will be affected. The absence of federal officials who process grant applications may also take a slight toll on cities and counties when applications are either slowed or delayed.
Read the full article here.
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How will your county fare the federal government shutdown? Be sure to check out these resources below:
Central Valley: Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced and Tulare Counties
