Editorial: Suburbs should look for transformative, inclusive ways to spend American Rescue Plan funds

Let's say a sum of money comes your way, enough that you could call it a windfall. Do you save it, spend it, pay off bills?

The dilemma faces many of our suburbs on a macro level. They're figuring out ways to use dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act, the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package approved by Congress in March that includes $350 billion in funding for state and local governments.

The parameters are broad - from boosting tourism to adding broadband to covering hazard pay for essential workers to assisting families and businesses hit hard by COVID-19, and more. Every city and village has a wish list, so how do they choose where the money should go?

It's obvious local governments should look to one-time expenses. Programs like the American Rescue Plan don't come along every day, so incurring ongoing costs would leave cities and villages high and dry when the money's gone.

Beyond that, this is a chance to get creative, to hit reset on how our towns look and will operate in a post-COVID era.

Mount Prospect is eyeing investing its $7 million in programs to help address economic disparity with expansion of its Community Connections Center and related social services, such as literacy and continuing education, after-school tutoring, police outreach, health and behavioral health, crisis intervention and counseling, and emergency financial aid, the Daily Herald's Steve Zalusky writes.

With the weight of COVID-19 falling so heavily on low-income residents nationally, isn't it wonderful to target funding to attack that inequity?

Elgin is receiving $19.5 million and asking residents in a survey open through Tuesday to help prioritize options including replacing lead service lines in the water supply and supportive housing to address homelessness.

About $2 billion will be shared among suburban county governments and 94 suburbs. What if local officials joined forces on initiatives across the suburbs to amplify the change that can be wrought?

"We have the opportunity to make an investment that will have a lasting impact in our community," said Elgin City Manager Rick Kozal in a news release.

A Brookings Institution analysis echoes that idea. "In 10 years, we may look back at this time and ask: Which places merely spent their money, and which places invested it?"

It's hard to see many COVID-19 silver linings. Just maybe, that could be one