The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 10-06-1998 - 5ai~ ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 6, 1998 Action Agenda Item No. ~ _ q SUBJECT: 1999 North Cazolina Association of County Commissioners Legislative Goals DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/l~ BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/l~ ATTACHMENT(S): Proposed Resolution NCACC Legislative Bulletin #18-98 INFORMATION CONTACT: John Link or Rod Visser, ext 2300 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider adopting a resolution related to legislative goals for the 1999 Long Session of the North Carolina General Assembly. BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) has invited comment from boards of county commissioners concerning legislative priorities for 1999. The NCACC has indicated that its deadline for submission of proposed legislative goals is October 8. The attached resolution would convey to the NCACC those issues that the Orange County Board of Commissioners would like to see addressed on a statewide basis. Issues the Board may wish to consider bringing to the attention of the NCACC include: ^ Orange County's opposition to proposed amendments to the North Carolina Constitution that would arbitrarily restrict the permissible annual increase in the valuation of real property to 2%, thereby effectively removing the long-standing principle of using fair market value as the basis of equitable real property taxation in North Carolina ^ Support for legislation that would (to the extent not already provided under North Carolina law) require utility providers (such as gas, electric, and cable operators) to gain approval from county commissioners for utility route selections, or at least the opportunity to comment and receive public input concerning plans to expand their infrastructure in a way that would impact communities. Further, the Board may wish to consider supporting other potential legislative positions suggested in various NCACC documents in recent months: ^ Increased State role in paying the costs of Medicaid ^ Restoring growth in reimbursements for lost local property tax revenue ^ State funding for increased school utility costs ^ Local government exemption from State income taxes (counties can now file for reimbursement) ^ Increased court fees to provide counties with revenue for court facilities ^ Authority for counties to levy additional sales taxes ^ Increased Medicare reimbursements for County EMS bills Last, the Board may wish to identify other statewide issues, not mentioned above, that it would like to have addressed by the General Assembly in 1999. ~~~ RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the attached resolution (to be revised to reflect the Board's specific legislative interests) and authorize the Chair to transmit it to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. DRAFT ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONSIDER PROPOSING LEGISLATION OF STATEWIDE APPLICABILITY ON CERTAIN ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION DURING THE 1999 SESSION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHEREAS, the North Carolina General Assembly will convene in January 1999 to consider legislative matters during its Long Session; and WHEREAS, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners will consider and adopt a slate of legislative goals that will serve as the basis for various pieces of draft legislation, applicable on a statewide basis, to be presented for consideration by the General Assembly in 1999; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners has identified a number of legislative changes that, if adopted, it believes will contribute to the public good and benefit the citizens of Orange County specifically and the State of North Carolina generally; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Orange County Board of Commissioners that it does hereby convey to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners its request that its legislative concerns, as enumerated below, be incorporated into draft legislation applicable to counties throughout North Carolina, and be presented to the North Carolina General Assemb'y within the timeframes established by that body for consideration in 1999; ^ Issue A ^ Issue B ^ Issue C ^ Etc. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chair is authorized to convey this resolution to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners by means of a letter which elaborates on Orange County's concerns and recommendations, to the extent the Chair deems that necessary and appropriate. This, the 6`h day of October, 1998. -98~ ~¢p:::ncinfo.log.,u~c.edwNC~CC,95-961eg~buileani;ndexlbi39R.:~tt$ ~ ~ • . 4 1~ Le lslatlve Bulletin g North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Igullctin ~i18-98~ Thursday, September 10, 1998 GOVERNOR SIGNS Il~i~F'RASTRUCTURE BOND BILL On Wednesday, Governor Tun Hunt signed S 13 54, a proposal to place on the November 1998 ballot a S 1 Billion Bond Issue, with proceeds to be used to provide loans and grants to local governments to improve water, wastewater and sewer facilities as well as natural gas in unserved areas., With the Governor's signature, the bond proposal, introduced by Sen. John Kerr (Wayne), becomes Chapter 132 of the 1998 Session Laws. SENATE APPROVES ANNEXATION CHAi~TGES The Senate State Government Committee this week favorably reported a proposal to revise North Carolina's annexation laws. H1361, introduced by Rep. Edgar Starnes (Caldwell), was approved by the Committee on Wednesday and by the full Senate on second and third reading on Thursday. E•911 WIRELESS BILL APPROVED The Senate this week gave final approval to House changes to a bill to provide access to Emergency 911 facilities by those using wireless telephones. The Senate concurred in House changes to S 1242, introduced by Sen. David Hoyle (Gaston), on second reading Tuesday and on third reading Thursday. TIP' S 'TIPS In his memoirs, former U. S. House Speaker Tip O'Neill recounted the story of reelection in his Boston district. After his victory, he encountered an elderly woman he had known for years who told him she had voted for him, "even though you didn't ask me." The Congressman replied that he had not thought it necessary to ask for a vote from such a longstanding friend. To which the woman replied, "Young man, you alwavs have to ask." The point is, it e~ ' , ~' "" deadlint fir` ~issivg o€ ;- ~~issiorrers beliers is i tit ~ .. ~ ~ =mss s~uld incre~t fuir~ng; 'craw ~~ ~ ~ ~a~li; for example, you believe we should seek a greater state role in paying the costs of Medicaid, or should restore growth in reimbursements for lost local property tax revenue, or should fund part of the increasing costs of heating and lighting our public schools, now is the time to ask. After all, if we do not ask, the General Assembly will not know what local governments need. And remember the words of the renowned political economist Willie Sutton who, when asked why, after spending two-thirds of his life in prison, he still robbed banks, replied, "Because that's where the money ~~ is. Orange County Commissioners P. O. Box 8181 200 S Cameron Street Hillsborough, NC 27278 Margaret W. Brown, Chair Stephen H. Halkiotis, Vice Chair Mosey Carey, Jr. Williaw L Cro~+rlrer Alice M. Gordon October 14, 1998 Mr. Ron Aycock, Executive Director North Carolina Association of County Commissioners P.O. Box 1488 Raleigh, NC 27602-1488 Dear Ron: ~'o At our regular meeting on October 6, 1998, the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted the attached resolution identifying potential 19991egislative issues of statewide applicability. Many of these issues reflect concerns raised by the Association during the past two legislative sessions. A few, including measures to provide for greater County involvement in utility route selection decisions and streamlined school construction processes, are of particular interest to Orange County but may also be worthy of consideration on a broaderbasis. We appreciate the Association's solicitation of counties' interests as the Board of Directors prepares the Association's legislative goals for the 1999 Session of the General Assembly.. Please contact County Manager John Link. with any questions you, the Board of Directors, or Association staff may have about Orange County's proposed legislative issues. Sin%'cerely, _ /`~ G~ ~ Margaret W. Brown, Chair cc: John Link You Count In Orange County AREA CODE (919) 732-8181: 968-4501: 688-7331: 227 2031: FAX (919) 644-3004 E.rt 2130 Orange County Commissioners P. O. Box 8181 200 S Cameron Street Hillsborough, NC 27278 Margard W. Brawn, Chair Stephen H. Halkiotis, Y~ce Chair Mmes Carey, h William L CroMtlrer Alice M. Gordon October 14, 1998 Mr. Ron Aycock, Executive Director North Carolina Association of County Commissioners P.O. Box 1488 Raleigh, NC 27602-1488 Dear Ron: \rr At our regular meeting on October 6, 1998, the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted the attached resolution identifying potential 19991egislative issues of statewide applicability. Many of these issues reflect concerns raised by the Association during the past two legislative sessions. A few, including measures to provide for greater County involvement in utility route selection decisions and streamlined school construction processes, are of particular interest to Orange County but may also be worthy of consideration on a broader basis. We appreciate the Association's solicitation of counties' interests as the Board of Directors prepares the Association's legislative goals for the 1999 Session of the General Assembly. Please contact County Manager John Link with any questions you, the Board of Directors, or Association staff may have about Orange County's proposed-legislative issues. Sincerely, Margaret W. Brown, Chair cc: John Link You Count In Orange County AREA CODE (919) 732-8181: 968-4501: 688-7331: 227-2031: FAX (919) 644-3004 E.rL 2130