Commissioner’s comments on business grants ‘disingenuous,’ wrong – Macomb Daily

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel blasted a county commissioner for her comments about the county’s COVID-19 business-grant program, calling them “disingenuous” because she received grants, adding they were erroneous.

Hackel on Tuesday took issue with comments by Commissioner Mai Xiong who told The Macomb Daily on Monday the county should have been able to award more than the $39 million of the $70 million that it allocated for business grants in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds came from the $152.5 million windfall the county received in May 2020 as part of the federal CARES Act.

Xiong said she was concerned that immigrant-owned businesses may have been left out of the process due to a language barrier or lack of savvy. Xiong, who is of Asian descent, received two grants totaling nearly $7,200 for her retail business in Warren.

“I find it disingenuous. She received $7,100 as a minority for her business,” he said. “I…

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