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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-23-2007-9bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: January 23, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. q - b SUBJECT: Orange County's Proposed 2007 Legislative Agenda DEPARTMENT: County Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Proposed Orange County 2007 Legislative Commissioner Alice Gordon Goals Commissioner Mike Nelson PURPOSE: To review, discuss, and approve potential items for inclusion in Orange County's legislative agenda package for the 2007 North Carolina General Assembly Session for presentation to Orange County's legislative delegation and the leadership of the North Carolina General Assembly. BACKGROUND: In past years, the BOCC has reviewed and approved a package of legislative items to pursue for North Carolina General Assembly sessions. Orange County's initial 2006 legislative package addressed the following issues: • Potential Statewide Referenda on Land for Tomorrow Bonds, School Construction Bonds, and Water and Sewer Bonds • Local Government Cable Franchise Authority • Support State Public Education Initiatives with Clear and Full Funding By the State • County Medicaid Relief • Funding for Family House at UNC Hospitals • Re-evaluation and Re-determination on the Course of Statewide Mental Health Reform and Adequate Funding for Local Administrative Infrastructure • Open Burning/Burning Permits/Local Authority • Funding for Park and Ride Lot to Serve Downtown Hillsborough • Public-Private Solid Waste Collection • Refunds for Public School Systems for State and Local Sales and Use Taxes • Request for Appointment of Citizens Committee to Follow-up on 2001 Smart Growth Commission Report • Funding for Feasibility Study for a Regional Shared Use Value-Added Processing Center • Opposition to "Exempt Builder's Inventory" The Board also subsequently adopted in 2006 a resolution supporting electronics recycling and job creation. For the 2007 General Assembly Session, the County's Legislative Issues Work Group, led by Commissioners Alice Gordon and Mike Nelson, has developed a list of potential items for the Board's consideration: The proposed list includes legislative issues as well as a potential item for which to request funding from the General Assembly. The Board will need to review and potentially approve these and any other items as may be discussed in preparation for the 2007 North Carolina General Assembly Session. It should be noted that there has been some discussion of other potential funding request items that are not included in the attached materials. Some of the potential initiatives not included are a funding request for a proposed Orange County Heritage Center, a request that the General Assembly establish a designated funding stream for alternative modes of transportation, and funding requests for transportation- related capital and other needs. The Board may wish to discuss these further during the meeting. The General Assembly convenes on Wednesday January 24, 2007, and the BOCC meets with Orange County's legislative delegation on February 5, 2007. It should be noted that the work of the Legislative Issues Work Group to this point is based on the current information available for the 2007 General Assembly Session. The issues addressed by the Group may evolve and change over the session and require additional attention by the Group and Board of Commissioners. New issues may also arise necessitating additional review. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None at this time. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board review, discuss, and approve potential items for inclusion in Orange County's legislative agenda package for the 2007 North Carolina General Assembly Session for presentation to Orange County's legislative delegation and the leadership of the North Carolina General Assembly. DRAFT PROPOSED ORANGE COUNTY 2007 LEGISLATIVE GOALS LEGISLATIVE ISSUES TOP PRIORITIES Medicaid Relief - Seek permanent Medicaid relief for counties to cover the full cost of Medicaid expenses to be paid by state government. School Construction - Support legislation to provide state assistance to local governments to meet school construction needs caused by increased enrollment and mandated reductions in class size through a statewide referendum on a bond issue and/or through authority for counties to raise additional revenues to meet school facility needs. Revenue Options for Local Government - Support legislation that authorizes a variety of revenue options for local governments to fund local government services. An overarching principle is that any local government revenue source that is presently available to one or more local governments in the state should be available to all local governments uniformly throughout the state. All local governments should, on a reasonable basis, have the authority to levy local option sales taxes, apply impact fees and/or taxes, utilize real estate transfer fees and/or taxes, etc. Orange County specifically notes its support for the ability of all local governments to apply impact fees and/or taxes and to implement real estate transfer fees and/or taxes. Orange County also expresses support for the authority to institute Court Facility Fees to allow counties to collect additional facilities fees to help fund capital, operational and other needs associated with ever-increasing judicial activities Mental Health - Support Mental Health Reform and seek legislation that assures local capacity to serve the needs of citizens. The state must support local government, both financially and statutorily, to equip itself with adequate tools for crisis intervention and appropriate housing for the mentally ill to allow their integration into local communities. DRAFT 4 OTHER PRIORITIES Employment Anti-Discrimination Legislation (Statewide) or Local Ordinance Enabling Legislation - Support legislation creating a statewide employment anti- discrimination law and providing for local government enforcement through appropriate mechanisms; or, in the alternative, support legislation allowing local governments to enact ordinances prohibiting employment discrimination. Sales Tax Exemption - Support legislation to exempt counties, cities, school boards and community colleges from payment of state and local sales taxes on purchases within North Carolina. The legislation should contain a provision permitting the state to repay the last refund over a multi-year period to minimize state budget impacts. Alternatively, Orange County supports legislation to fully restore public schools' access to sales tax refunds. North Carolina Housing Trust Fund - Support legislation providing appropriations by the General Assembly authorizing recurring funds for the North Carolina Housing Trust Fund to provide new home ownership opportunities and affordable rental homes for those qualified under the North Carolina Housing Trust Fund, while looking to enhance federal funding opportunities where appropriate. Land for Tomorrow - Support legislative appropriations and/or bond funding to protect the state's land, water, and special places, before they are irreversibly lost, by increasing funding to the state's existing conservation trust funds which provide grants for land and water conservation projects in every county. Open Burning/Burning Permits - Support amending the statutes (G.S. 113-60.31) related to open burning to remove the open burning prohibition exemption that is currently available during periods of hazardous forest fire conditions, during drought periods, or during air pollution episodes; or, in the alternative, granting local governments the authority to prohibit open burning without the State's declaration of a hazardous condition since local fire authorities are best suited to assess local conditions and determine the best courses of action related to burning activities. Solid Waste Services - Oppose any legislation to further weaken the authority and/or ability of local governments to operate and administer Solid Waste services, including opposition to legislation similar to Senate Bill 951 (2006) and any other legislation that would limit local governments' opportunities in their solid waste service delivery to reduce costs, improve the quality of service, and/or meet local waste reduction goals. DRAFT FUNDING REQUESTS Feasibility Study Funding for Regional Shared Use Value-Added Processing Center For the 2006 General Assembly session, the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution requesting funding from the General Assembly for a feasibility study for a potential Regional Shared Use Value-Added Processing Center. The County also made contact with five other area counties (Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham and Person) and three food markets (Weaver Street, Whole Foods, and Earthfare) regarding. their interest in a possible processing center and sharing in the cost of a feasibility study. To date, Weaver Street and Whole Foods have made commitments of $1,000 each, and Alamance County has committed $2,500. Orange County has received a preliminary estimate of $15,000 from Mars Hill College to conduct a potential Feasibility Study. It is proposed that Orange County request $15,000 during the 2007 General Assembly session and, if that effort is successful, work with the other partners to address other issues related to a potential Center utilizing their previously-committed funds for accessory studies, marketing assessments, etc.