Americans could get $1,000 bonus checks under a $278,000 plan — see who qualifies for the holiday bonus

A CHRISTMAS gift could come early this year for Tennessee county public servants.

They’re one step closer to receiving pay raises with funds provided by a federal stimulus plan after the Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee. Tennessee approved a $1,000 bonus.

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The committee decided to allocate $278,734 in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to distribute additional money to county employees before Christmas.

The ARPA, dubbed the Covid-19 Stimulus Package, is a $1.9 trillion economic law passed by the Biden administration last year to help communities fight the pandemic.

They came to the decision after a four-to-two vote at a meeting held last week, but the committee is due to meet again on December 8 for final approval before broadcasting it money out, The Manchester Times reports.

Budget chair Lynn Sebourn said that Coffee County has “a problem with employee morale” and “a problem with employee pay.”

“I don’t see how that doesn’t serve taxpayers to ensure we good employees get the services they need,” he added.

One of the two committee members who voted against the $1,000 net payment to county employees argued that the distribution of ARPA funds should include a broader segment of people.

The Manchester Times reported that committee member Dennis Hunt said: “I will not vote for it.”

“You saw me vote for pay rises and I will do that and I support our staff. ARPA, American Rescue Plan Act funds, were sent to us for the benefit of all Coffee County taxpayers.”

Hunt added, “I can’t take care of 60,000 people in this county, 300 and something is more important than the rest and we say that.”

He said the decision to use ARPA funds to provide bonuses to county employees shows that the county government prioritizes these individuals.

That wouldn’t be fair to the roughly 60,000 other people who live in Coffee County, Hunt said.

“The federal government basically decided that they wanted to try to stimulate the economy, and they gave money out all sorts of ways,” Sebourn Hunt replied at the meeting.

“One of the ways they’ve done it is to give us some and leave it to our judgment on how best to spend it in our county.”

More Christmas bonus

Idaho residents will receive checks up to $600 after Gov. Brad Little signed legislation in September allocating $500 million in tax refunds to residents.

Pennsylvania has a rebate program of up to $975 designed to benefit people age 65 and older, widows and widowers age 50 and older, and Americans with disabilities.

People in South Carolina can get a maximum rebate of $800 since state lawmakers approved the distribution during a June session.

Six more states are introducing New Year’s stimulus checks and direct payments ranging from $300 to $1,500, including California, Colorado, Idaho and South Carolina.

The Sun unveiled a lump sum payment that will be paid out of a $3 billion pot over the next nine days.

Also, you can qualify for one-time payments between $750 and $1,500 rebate.