POUGHKEEPSIE – In June of last year, the Dutchess County Legislature authorized using $12.5 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for improvements at Dutchess Stadium, a county park that houses the Hudson Valley Renegades. At the time, the Democratic lawmakers voted against the plan.
This past Thursday, county lawmakers were briefed on planned spending to improve emergency housing in the county. Democrat Giancarlo Llaverias asked Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro if the ARPA funds earmarked for the stadium could be re-directed to address housing issues. “Why can’t we use the money authorized for Dutchess Stadium, for things like new locker rooms, and invest it in new housing?”
Molinaro applauded the idea and informed the legislators that a decision had been made on April 1st, to change the spending plan. “Because of inflation, the stadium project will be appropriately delayed,” Molinaro said.
The new plan calls for the reallocation of $9.5 million in ARPA funds earmarked for county parks, including the stadium, and moving it to “housing availability,” according to the county executive. The plan calls for the ARPA funds to be supplemented with $4 million of county funding, for an investment of $13.5 million in housing money.
Earlier this month, Dutchess County Comptroller Robin Lois, a Democrat, issued a report that chastised the way Molinaro and the county are spending the ARPA money. Lois intimated that the ARPA spending on the stadium outspent money for sewer and water projects. The full story can be found here.
The Democratic lawmakers claim that Molinaro’s reversal in policy is because he is running for Congress and is trying to respond to recent criticism that came about with the stadium funding plan.
County Legislature Minority Leader Yvette Valdés Smith (D-Fishkill and Beacon) opposed using COVID relief funds for stadium projects. “I couldn’t be more relieved to know that the money now has a chance of being used for its intended purpose,” adding “Even if our residents weren’t struggling with skyrocketing inflation and the lingering effects of the pandemic, the stadium should not be the county government’s top priority.”
