The North Carolina League of Municipalities recently called on Senators Tillis, Burr, and Mitch McConnell to provide “more robust and direct stimulus” to state and local governments in order to “maintain essential services in education, health care, emergency operations, public safety and more,” days before Senator Tillis left Washington after “ignoring” demands for “immediate action” and instead focusing on “confirming President Trump’s nominees.”

State and local governments are facing catastrophic shortfalls as the pandemic leaves “potholes in city budgets,” yet Mitch McConnell and Senator Tillis have “refused to take [additional help] up.” Wake County has had “to eliminate 100 full- and part-time positions,” while nearby Morrisville has “already had to cancel plans to add six new fire and police positions.” McConnell has suggested state and local governments should “take the bankruptcy route,” a position Tillis said he was “more or less aligned” with.

This isn’t the first time Tillis refused to act. Tillis didn’t address the coronavirus – by his campaign’s own admission – for an entire month after receiving a briefing on January 24, three days after the first U.S. COVID-19 case was confirmed.

“State and local governments are calling on Senator Tillis to help stave off catastrophic cuts to public education, health care, and essential services like police and firefighters, yet Tillis skipped town without offering any help,” NCDP spokesperson Robert Howard said. “How many teacher, police, and first responder jobs will be eliminated before Senator Tillis will act?”