In the News

WESTFIELD — U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal on Thursday announced Westfield’s share of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan: $9.3 million for the city government, $11.5 million for its schools and $12.8 million for Westfield State University.

Neal, D-Springfield, spoke at a press conference in Westfield City Hall with Mayor Donald Humason. It was the most recent in a series of press conferences Neal, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, has hosted in city and town halls around the region talking about the federal coronavirus relief package.

As chairman of Ways and Means, Neal was responsible for $941 billion, or about half, the total package of the Rescue Plan approved in March.

Neal’s office announced the funding for Westfield State and other colleges and universities — both public and private — earlier this month.

Neal has already made announcements in Holyoke, which expects $32 million, and Springfield, which expects between $97.5 million and $127.3 million.

Chicopee will receive$29.9 million for the city, and the Chicopee Public Schools will receive $24.6 million, Neal’s office said.

Families in Westfield will be the big beneficiary, Neal said, with child tax credits approved under the American Rescue Plan. Starting in July, parents will start receiving checks of about $300 a month for children under 6 and about $250 a month for children 6 to 17.

The only federal rules the city knows of now are that the money cannot be used to lower taxes and cannot be put toward pension liability.

Cities around the region plan to use the money for infrastructure, school building and upgrade, and police and fire departments. Westfield is entering its budget process now.

The Biden administration plans to follow up the American Rescue Plan with other ambitious spending packages: the $1.7 trillion American Jobs Plan for infrastructure and a separate $1.8 trillion American Families Plan.

But there is Republican opposition. On Thursday, GOP minority senators proposed a $928 billion infrastructure plan that taps unused COVID-19 relief funds.

“Keeping the conversation alive is a good thing,” Neal said.

He said the House Democrats and Biden would prefer it to be bipartisan. He acknowledged the gap between the proposals.

“But there is also a ways to go here,” he said.

He mentioned GOP senators including Mitt Romney of Utah, a former Massachusetts governor, who might be willing to budge.

“Inch by inch and maybe member by member were are going to try and pick them off as best as we can,” he said.

Ways and Means is in charge of tax policy. Biden wants to raise the corporate tax from 21% to 28%. Neal wouldn’t go into specifics of a tax plan yet. He said he’s talked to all 222 House Democrats.

“You should know that they have all given me advice on a tax plan. It’s generally good for their constituency,” he said.

Neal took questions from city officials, including Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy and city engineer Mark S. Cressotti. They wanted to know how and when Westfield can get that infrastructure cash.