U.S. Representative Cindy Axne met earlier this week with mayors from around Iowa’s Third Congressional District to discuss the local impact of COVID-19.

Axne hosted a virtual meeting Wednesday with seven mayors, including Jim Peters from Adel, Courtney Clarke from Waukee, and those from Atlantic, Creston, Corning, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and Sidney. The Democratic Congresswoman wanted to hear directly from them regarding how coronavirus may impact their city’s revenues and services. She also discussed bipartisan legislation she’s introduced alongside New York Congressman Pete King (R) to create a new relief program to help state and local governments make up lost revenue due to the pandemic. Axne says the Coronavirus State and Local Financial Assistance Act would create a $500 billion program to issue grants to prevent cuts to essential services such as emergency response, public safety, education, and infrastructure repair.

Axne felt the virtual roundtable with the mayors was fruitful and she gained enough local insight to move forward with the legislation.