At yesterday's Champaign City Council meeting, the Council voted in favor of several smaller ways to aid the City of Champaign Township:
City council members on Tuesday narrowly rejected providing $26,000 to have City of Champaign Township create an emergency assistance program for the poor.
But council members, who also act as the township board, did approve several other measures to increase city help for the financially struggling township. Those measures include providing short-term loans if needed, discontinuing a $3,000 annual payment by the township to the city clerk's office and appointing the city's finance director, Richard Schnuer, to also be the township collector. City staff assistance to the township will also be provided at no charge.
And:
With her previous cuts to general assistance, Abernathy said she believes she now has enough money to get through the next two fiscal years without deficit spending, before reserves run out.
Abernathy said she could also probably fund an emergency assistance program for at least a year, but decided she would forego that program without the city's help due to the township's financial problems.
Abernathy said she will raise the level of general assistance, starting July 1, to $150 per month.
So the Township is tapping into it's reserves, but raising the level of general assistance anyway?
Is "level of general assistance" referring to the amount that is awarded, or something else?