Nine Arizona mayors have signed onto a letter requesting Congress channel $250 billion in direct emergency aid to cities nationwide to combat coronavirus, arguing cities will experience significant declines in revenue and have to cut services and employees if they don't get federal help.

The March 20 letter, organized through the U.S. Conference of Mayors, was signed by 303 mayors from 48 states and Washington, D.C. It was addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate leaders Mitch McConnell and Charles Schumer and House leader Kevin McCarthy.

"Cities are the front lines, immediately addressing this crisis and taking actions to protect public health and ensure public safety while continuing to provide core services to our citizens," the letter says. "But as you know, we are at the beginning of this pandemic, and further action must be taken to address the public health and economic impacts of this disaster."

The letter says that cities — the "economic engines of the nation" — are entering a tenuous situation where economic growth and revenue is slowing or stopping while city expenditures are increasing to respond to coronavirus.

Cities are in dire need of a cash influx to help respond to the crisis, maintain services and preserve cities for future growth, the mayors said.

"Without significant federal assistance, we soon will be faced with having to make decisions that could include laying off employees, cutting budgets, and reducing or eliminating critically needed services," the letter says.

The following Arizona mayors signed on:

Kate Gallego, Phoenix.

John Giles, Mesa.

Kevin Hartke, Chandler.

Craig McFarland, Casa Grande.

Mark Mitchell, Tempe.

Douglas Nicholls, Yuma.

Regina Romero, Tucson.

Jerry Weiers, Glendale.

Kenn Weise, Avondale.

How would cities use the funding?

According to the letter, cities would use the federal aid to protect residents from coronavirus and its economic fallout by bolstering cities, mitigating economic loss and helping residents afford things like rent, medication or other basic needs.

Funding would go to areas including:

Maintaining public services like public safety, water, trash and electricity.

Paying municipal costs like overtime, sick time and other costs.

Obtaining personal protective equipment for public health workers.

Funding eviction prevention and rental assistance.

Making cash payments to small businesses.

Preventing homelessness and addressing food insecurity.

Providing tax relief for mortgages, student loans and small business loans.

Funding transit systems and airports to help their recovery.

Covering payroll for school staff and public universities.

Mayors asked for funds to be sent as "flexible, dynamic, direct financial assistance" through existing funding programs.

This includes programs like community development grants, disaster relief funds, public health grants, economic injury loans and others.

"How governments at all levels respond to a viral health threat never before encountered in modern history will determine the severity of its damage to American lives and livelihoods," the letter says.

"The nation’s leaders at all levels must do all in their power to protect the health of all people and restore the economic vitality on which they all depend. At this point in our battle with COVID-19, we rely on your leadership to help equip city leaders with the weapons we must have to defeat the deadly threat we face."

Reach the reporter at Alison.Steinbach@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-4282. Follow her on Twitter @alisteinbach.

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