RI has spent just $44M of $1.25B federal coronavirus aid

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island has spent just $44 million of the $1.25 billion the state received in federal aid to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new “ COVID-19 Transparency Portal ” the state launched Friday.

The website developed by Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo’s administration breaks down the state’s spending of its Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, act money.

The website shows that the state has spent just $44 million of the funds as of May 26 and committed another $143 million of the money for future spending.

Among the major expenses was roughly $9 million in payments to Dimeo Construction to build three field hospitals that went mostly unused as the state never saw the expected surge in COVID-19 cases.

ResMed, a California-based medical equipment company, also earned nearly $5 million providing the state with undisclosed supplies.

Companies including global engineering firm AECOM, industrial supplies company Fastenal and medical supplies company Merrow-Forloh were each paid nearly $2 million for supplies and surge-related response, though the database doesn’t provide further details about the expenses.

Elsewhere, Amazon was paid $330,000 and Zoom was paid about $13,000 to assist with agency operations, according to the website.

Another $8 million has been committed to nursing homes and child care providers and $7 million is earmarked for virus testing.

The Raimondo administration says the website will be updated monthly.

Raimondo has said she’s reluctant to aggressively spend down the mone y until she knows whether Congress will approve a second round of stimulus funding proposed by House Democrats.

Rhode Island faces a budget deficit of roughly $800 million as a result of the economic shutdown from the pandemic, but local business and political leaders have called on Raimondo to use some of the federal funds to help small businesses.

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