American City County Exchange: Policy Prescriptions to Address Economic and Health Care Challenges in the Face of COVID-19

COVID-19 presents challenges to city and county officials nationwide. The American City and County Exchange presents a possible solution to address federal regulations during this pandemic.

An Ordinance for Local Coordination on Federal Regulations

State and local governments are the frontline of defense against the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. For the last 15 years, local governments have been making plans for manmade and natural disasters under the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

One of the great successes that came out of the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, NIMS have assured that every county and major city has an emergency management team in place who constantly reviews processes and procedures to deploy in emergency situations. NIMS is non-partisan, it does not make political considerations but sets the processes in-which federal, state and local governments react to disasters.

The federal government has not imposed burdensome restrictions because the states, in coordination with localities, have taken the lead to do what they think is in the best interest of their residents. This relationship between the federal and state governments can best seen in the cooperation and admiration shared between the governors and President Trump. The best way forward through the pandemic is to work the NIMS plan in a spirit of cooperation and coordination between federal, state and local governments.

Policy prescriptions developed by our members can be found in ALEC Connect.

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