CURRENT NEWS
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POSTED Aug. 23
VML/VACo Letter to Gov. McDonnell--Key local budget and revenue concerns
Capitol Contact--Last week VACo and VML sent a budget and revenue letter to Gov. Bob McDonnell. The letter asks the governor to propose repealing the $60 million a year state cuts in aid to localities, and to oppose reducing or eliminating local business taxes, namely BPOL and Machinery and Tools.
VACo and VML soon will ask counties to take similar action. We are developing a forthcoming model resolution for localities to adopt and send to the governor and legislators.
VACo contacts
Dean Lynch, dlynch@vaco.org/804.343.2511
Mike Edwards, medwards@vaco.org/804.343.2503
POSTED Aug. 19
Capitol Contact--Update on new federal funding package (Medicaid and K-12)
Capitol Contact--A must read: New federal funding package (Medicaid and K-12)
POSTED Aug. 10
James J. Regimbal's presentations at the Aug. 6 VACo steering committee meetings
FINANCE: "The State Budget-The Train Derailed"
EDUCATION: "The Outlook for State Education Funding"
POSTED Aug. 10
Mandate Review - DJJ (mental health transition for incarcerated juvenile)
Mandate Review: The regulation may be accessed at: leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+reg+6VAC35-180
VACo has been asked to assist the Department of Juvenile Justice ("DJJ") in trying to determine the impact on localities of the regulation governing the mental health transition for incarcerated juveniles (the "mental health transition planning mandate").
This covers juvenile offenders (up to age 21) who have identified mental health issues and need services in the community upon release from a state juvenile correctional center or local juvenile detention center.
Each juvenile court services unit has entered into a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with local agencies (such as the juvenile detention center, health department, department of social services, school board, and community services board). Through the regulation and MOU, local agencies may participate in developing and implementing a mental health transition plan for the identified juveniles.
DJJ is collecting information on the number of juveniles involved directly from the facilities. To supplement this information, they are seeking direct feedback from localities on the following:
(1) Does the mental health transition planning mandate require your locality to incur expenditures that must be covered by local fiscal resources (and would not be incurred but for the regulation)?
____ No net expenditures attributable to the mandate. Explain:
____ Net expenditures less than $5,000. Explain:
____ Net expenditures of $5,000 or more (not including startup costs and state or federal revenues). Estimate:_______________________________________
Explain:
(2) What factors influence the expenditure impact of the mandate? What methodology was used to develop the response to question 1?
(3) Does the regulation for mental health transition planning adequately accomplish its goals (to ensure implementation and continuity of necessary treatment and services in order to improve short-term and long-term outcomes for juvenile offenders with significant mental health, substance abuse, or therapeutic needs)?
(4) Can the mental health transition planning goals be met in a more efficient or effective way?
____ Yes ____ No
If Yes, Explain:
(5) Other comments/considerations:
POSTED July 30
Governor launches August listening tour; county officials urged to participate
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced that he will hold eight town halls around the state beginning on Aug. 4. The meetings will be in Roanoke, Norfolk, Chester, Fredericksburg, Fairfax, Harrisonburg, Danville and Bristol.
The main purpose of the town halls is to discuss the privatization of the ABC system, but input from the public is also solicited for governor’s two commissions: Economic Development and Jobs Creation and Government Reform and Restructuring. Gov. McDonnell indicated that at each stop he would be available to meet with local officials to discuss the ABC plan and other concerns.
In addition to the governor, members of his cabinet and the Jobs and Reform Commissions are to be present at each meeting.
The schedule of the meetings is as follows:
Roanoke: Wednesday, August 4, 7 p.m., Roanoke County Administration Center, Board of Supervisors Board Room, 5204 Bernard Dr.
Norfolk: Monday, August 9, 7 p.m., Old Dominion University, Webb University Center - Hampton/Newport News Room, 4201 Hampton Blvd.
Chesterfield County: Thursday, August 19, 7 p.m., Cultural Center of India, 6641 Ironbridge Parkway, Chester
Fredericksburg: Tuesday, August 24, 7 p.m., University of Mary Washington, Lee Hall - Room 412, 1301 College Avenue
Northern Virginia: Wednesday, August 25, 7 p.m., Northern Virginia Technology Council Auditorium, 2214 Rock Hill Road, Suite 300, Herndon
Harrisonburg: Thursday, August 26, 7 p.m., James Madison University, East Campus Dining Hall - Montpelier Room, 800 S. Main Street
Danville: Monday, August 30, 7 p.m., Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Great Hall, 150 Slayton Avenue
Bristol: Tuesday, August 31, 7 p.m., Bristol Public Library, J. Henry Kegley Meeting Room, 701 Goode Street
The governor’s staff has unveiled the preferred plan to sell the state’s alcohol assets – the onetime sale of liquor licenses to increase the number of retail outlets from the current 332 ABC stores to approximately 800+ locations. That plan anticipates that stores currently sell wine and beer will also seek liquor licenses.
VACo staff has been advised that in the plan under consideration, it is the governor’s intent to regard the retail sale of alcohol in the same manner as wine and beer licenses are treated currently in the statues and regulation. Thus, the authority local governments have under the current system of ABC laws would be unchanged. Further, it is also his intent that local land use authority be preserved with respect to the location of liquor stores.
Any ABC privatization proposal will be reviewed by the Reform Commission’s Government Simplification and Operations Committee before consideration by the full commission. If the plan is sanctioned by the commission, it is anticipated that the governor will call a special session in the late fall. Implementation of any ABC privatization legislation will take approximately one year.
Please let VACo staff know if officials from your county are planning to attend any of the town halls.
VACo contacts: Dean Lynch, Mike Edwards or Ted McCormack.
POSTED July 29
Comp Board and Aid to Locality Reductions - Inquiries
VACo has had numerous inquiries and questions regarding constitutional officer funding contained in the re-basing for ATL reductions. In response to inquiries, Robyn de Socio, Executive Director, Compensation Board, provided the following. Please review. If you have additional questions, please call (804) 343-2511or email dlynch@vaco.org.
From R. de Socio, Executive Director of the Compensation Board,
“Perhaps the following will help with questions we are all receiving regarding the difference between the CB (Comp Board) budgets set for officers and the base funding used by DPB (Dept. of Planning and Budget) to calculate each office’s prorated share of the $60 million aid to localities reductions. There is no real difference in how this was handled from prior years, but because the reductions to staff in Treasurers/Commissioners was so significant in small offices and the officer funds are excluded, it probably looks substantially different to some of those small localities.
Compensation Board budgets set on May 1, revised on June 1 to show unfunded positions, have not changed. These are posted on the Compensation Board’s website. Aid to Localities reductions attributed to constitutional officers are a prorated share of the overall statewide $60 million reduction, based upon a different base of funds than that set in budgets for constitutional officers by the Compensation Board. The difference in the base used for ATL is not indicative of any change to the base budget set by the Compensation Board. The differences between CB budgets and the base used for ATL reductions are as follows:
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ATL Base EXCLUDES the salary and related fringe benefits that will be paid for the elected constitutional officer or appointed finance director;
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ATL Base includes only the REIMBURSABLE portion of remaining salaries and budgeted funds, including fringe benefits, based upon the CB budgeted amounts (note that for Treasurers, Comm Rev and Finance Directors, the reimbursable portion is approximately 50 percent of the budgeted amount);
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ATL Base excludes the amounts recovered from reimbursements for the local share of premiums for liability insurance, surety bond, and retiree health care credit;
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ATL Base Includes the amount of premiums for liability insurance and surety bond still paid by the CB and not recovered from localities;
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ATL Base excludes salaries and fringe benefits of positions for new or expanded jail capacity anticipated to only be open for a portion of FY11;
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ATL Base may include minor adjustments to funds to account for turnover/vacancy in balancing to program appropriations.”
POSTED July 27
FY2011 Aid To Locality Reductions
County Administrators:
Please be aware that Department of Planning and Budget has posted the FY 2011 Aid to locality (ATL) reductions on their Web site.
Similar to last year, your locality may select the manner for achieving its reduction using one of the following methods; 1) you may designate that these reductions be taken out of the payments for one or more of the programs in the list provided by DPB, 2) you may make a reimbursement payment directly to the Commonwealth for all of your locality’s reductions, or 3) you may choose a combination of program reductions and reimbursement payment.
The option you select for your locality, along with the corresponding reduction amounts for each program, if applicable, must be submitted to DPB by Aug. 30, 2010.
If a locality has not notified DPB of its selection by Oct. 1, 2010, the State Comptroller will begin withholding the locality’s rolling stock and recordation distributions. (The annual rolling stock distribution and the remaining recordation distributions will not be allocated until localities have made their reduction selections.)
If withholding the locality’s rolling stock and recordation tax distributions for FY 2011 is not sufficient to fully cover its reduction amount, DPB will take action to withhold the remaining reduction amount from the local program deemed most discretionary by the department.
Please continue reading for guidance and the visit this Web site to access your form to complete.
If you have questions or concerns, please call or e-mail Dean Lynch at 804-343-2511.
Click here to read more.
POSTED July 21
Additional Sales Tax Receipts
The Department of Accounts has informed the Department of Education (DOE) that actual sales tax receipts dedicated to public education for fiscal year 2010 will exceed the estimate of $1,049.9 billion included in Chapter 872, 2010 Acts of Assembly, by approximately $18.7 million.
School divisions will receive the additional funding as part of the June payments for sales tax scheduled for the 16th and 30th of the month. As a result, DOE is advising all school divisions to monitor their actual sales tax cash receipts very closely through the remainder of the fiscal year.
In addition, school divisions should pay close attention to the impact that these additional sales tax receipts will have on required local effort for fiscal year 2010. School divisions should monitor spending from local funds carefully to ensure that any hold back of local expenditures resulting from the additional sales tax receipts does not jeopardize the division’s ability to meet required local effort for fiscal year 2010.
Please also note that the carry forward provision detailed in Superintendent’s Memorandum No. 122-10, dated May 21, 2010, which permits school divisions to carry forward to fiscal year 2011 any remaining state fund balances that are unexpended as of June 30, 2010, is contingent upon the division meeting required local effort and required local match for fiscal year 2010.
If you have questions regarding sales tax, please contact the budget office at (804) 225-2025.
Follow-up: VACo received the DOE spreadsheet. The column on the far right is the distribution by school division of the $18.7 million in sales tax funding.
Click here for Payment of Sales Tax Dedicated to Public Education for Fiscal Year 2010 spreadsheet.
POSTED July 6
House adopts Collective Bargaining Mandate for public safety employees; VACo members must urge Senators Webb and Warner to oppose
By a largely party line vote on Thursday, July 1, the House of Representatives approved its version of a supplemental appropriations (H.R. 4899) that includes the mandatory collective bargaining mandate for public safety personnel. The main purpose of the bill is to appropriate $80 billion in funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Senate soon will act on the legislation.
VACo members must urge Senators Webb and Warner to oppose the collective bargaining mandate included in H.R. 4899, the supplemental appropriation act. The mandate requires localities to collectively bargain with public safety employee labor unions over wages, benefits and working conditions.
Read VACo’s August 2009 letter to Senators Webb and Warner.
Read VACo’s June 2010 letter to Senators Webb and Warner.
POSTED June 28
Tools & Trends: Neighborhood Stabilization and Beyond on July 29
The Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC) will host a free one-day workshop on Neighborhood Stabilization for local jurisdictions on July 29.
The purpose of the workshop is to inform local policy makers about housing and community revitalization tools available to
Virginia localities, and to identify trends affecting neighborhoods in the Shenandoah Valley.
The event is titled ‘Tools and Trends Workshop: Neighborhood Stabilization and Beyond.’ Guest Speakers will explore topics including the Virginia Property Maintenance Code, Revitalization Resources,
Special Purpose Districts, Housing Affordability Trends, and Housing Stock Inventories and Conditions in
the Shenandoah Valley.
Time will also be allotted for a Q & A session with the speakers. Experts in the
seminar topics come from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Virginia Housing Development Authority, and Housing Virginia among others.
This is a free workshop. Please register by July 23
to attend. For online registration navigate to the
Meetings & Events page at www.nsvrc.virginia.gov or
call 540-636-8800.
Click here for registration information.
POSTED June 17
Transportation Board adopts FY 2011-2016 Six-Year Improvement Program
VDOT and DRPT Budgets Adopted for FY 2011
The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) adopted the Fiscal Years 2011-2016 Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) today at its meeting in Richmond, moving forward $7.8 billion in essential rail, transit, transportation demand management, bicycle, pedestrian and highway projects. The CTB also adopted budgets for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) to cover administrative, maintenance and operations costs.
The final SYIP, adopted by the CTB after four public hearings and several weeks of collecting public input, is available at www.VirginiaDOT.org and www.drpt.virginia.gov for review.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
POSTED June 10
Presentations from special June 2 Joint Meeting of VACo's Environment and Agriculture Committee and VML's Environmental Policy Committee
- VACo Environment and Agriculture Steering Committee/VML Environmental Policy Committee
- Katherine Antos, Coordinator, Water Quality Team, U.S. EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office
- David J. Hirschman, Program Director, Center for Watershed Protection
- Jack E. Frye and Russ Perkinson, DCR
- Allan Pollock, Manager, Office of Water Quality Program, DEQ
- Christopher Pomeroy, Esq., AquaLaw PLC
POSTED May 19
VDOT News release -- Working draft 2011-2016 Six-Year Improvement Program posted for review
POSTED May 12
VACo releases its 2010 Legislative Summary
Click here for PDF Version
Click here for Book Version
This legislative summary details the actions of the 2010 General Assembly and provides information on legislation of interest to counties. This year’s online edition contains links to the General Assembly’s Legislative Information System so that the reader can check the specific working of the bills. Included in the document is a summary of amendments to the 2010-2012 biennial budget made by the 2010 Assembly and lists of studies, resolutions and failed legislation of importance to counties. This year's online version is interactive with links to the General Assembly's Legislative Information System so that the reader can cbeck the specific working of the bills.
POSTED May 3
JAG grant information
The Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) recently announced that the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has posted grant application guidelines for localities that are eligible to apply for so-called “direct awards” of federal FY’10 Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) formula funds. The deadline for eligible localities to submit their applications is June 30.
JAG formula funds are allocated among the states via a population and crime rate formula; a portion of each state’s allocation is awarded by BJA directly to selected localities based on their rates of violent crime. The remainder of the state’s allocation comes to DCJS to make grants to localities and state agencies.
Linked are two documents concerning the direct award grants - One consists of the guidelines and application instructions for localities; the other shows the localities eligible to apply to BJA for direct awards.
The eligible localities will probably be getting letters from BJA about this in the near future, and DCJS will post this information on its website at www.dcjs.virginia.gov. DCJS also sent the material to the Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Associations too.
The attached guidelines have BJA contact information if any locality has questions about the application requirements. The contact at DCJS is Joe Marshall, Department of Criminal Justice Services, 804/786-1577 or Joe.Marshall@dcjs.virginia.gov .
POSTED April 20
Do you want a voice in creating the national legislative policies of the National Association of Counties?
Then consider filling out a NACo nomination form to be appointed to one of their eleven steering committees, (Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Community and Economic Development; Environment, Energy and Land Use; Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs; Health; Human Services and Education; Justice and Public Safety; Labor and Employment; Public Lands; Telecommunications and Technology; and Transportation).
The nomination process for membership on NACo policy steering committees is underway. As a NACo steering committee member, you are responsible for debating and creating national policies and priorities affecting counties and serve as NACo’s front line in their grassroots efforts. Committees meet at the NACo legislative and annual conferences and one other time during the year. You will be responsible for your own travel.
You may receive a form by calling our office. Please be as thorough as possible in completing the nomination and grassroots forms and send it to us by June 15. The nominations are processed in our office and will be forwarded to NACo by June 30 for approval by the incoming NACo President after the NACo Annual Conference in July. NACo will announce your appointment in September 2010.
Click here for nomination form.
Click here for a list of Virginians serving on NACo steering committees.
POSTED April 16
VACo's summary of Gov. McDonnell's recommendations; budget proposals contain bad/good news for counties
On Wednesday, April 14, Gov. McDonnell revealed his amendments to the 2010-2012 biennial budget as well as other legislation enacted by the 2010 General Assembly. This edition of Capitol Contact summarizes the governor’s proposals on the budget and legislation of interest to counties.
To view the full list of the governor's recommendations, visit the Web site of the General Assembly.
Click here to read the rest of the analysis.
POSTED March 30
VACo releases its comprehensive FY 2010 and FY 2010-2012 budget analysis
The House and Senate agreed to the joint conference committee report to House Bill 29 (FY 2010) and House Bill 30 (FY 2010-2012) on the evening of Sunday, March 14.
Read VACo’s FY 2010 budget analysis.
Read VACo’s FY 2010-2012 budget analysis.
The House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees posted the Conference Report for HB 29 and Conference Report for HB 30 and both the House and Senate provided summary documents.
The budgets are not finalized until after the annual reconvened legislative session. The General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday, April 21, to act on gubernatorial recommendations including vetoes and amendments. In accordance with the Constitution of Virginia, the governor may sign a bill into law, veto a bill or recommend amendments to a bill. The budget is a single bill. The governor also may propose line-item budget vetoes. The legislature acts on vetoes and amendments. Vetoes are overridden by a two-thirds vote, while amendments are adopted by a simple majority vote. If the governor does not act on the bill, it shall become law without his signature.
Click here to read VACo’s FY 2010 budget analysis.
Click here to read VACo’s FY 2010-2012 budget analysis.
VACo staff contacts: Gage Harter (Editor); Mike Edwards (Revenues, Public Education, Transportation and miscellaneous); Larry Land (Agriculture and Forestry, and Natural Resources); Dean Lynch (Compensation Board, General Government, Commerce and Trade, HHR, Public Safety, Elections, Judicial and miscellaneous); and Ted McCormack (PDCs and UDAs).
POSTED March 24
VACo's 2010 Preliminary Legislative Short Summary
VACo’s legislative team has prepared the following summary for county leaders. The briefing provides a review of certain key bills, but it is not a comprehensive review of all legislation affecting counties. VACo will release its complete 2010 Legislative Summary later this spring.
The General Assembly will reconvene on April 21 to consider Gov. Bob McDonnell’s recommendations. In accordance with the Constitution of Virginia, the governor may sign a bill into law, veto a bill or recommend amendments to a bill. The governor may also propose line-item vetoes to the budget bill.
As always, please call VACo at (804) 788-6652 if you have a question about a specific bill or issue.
VACo's 2010 Preliminary Legislative Short Summary
POSTED Feb. 11
Legislative Day Bulletin
The state budget overview
By Neal Menkes (VML)
The state budget is the most important piece of legislation affecting local governments this year. The General Assembly’s task is to cobble two budgets, addressing the remainder of FY10 and authorizing spending for the 2010-2012 biennium. The General Assembly is not starting from scratch. It works from the budget proposals submitted in late December by former Gov. Tim Kaine.
Because of the weakened economy and slumping tax revenues, the budgets under consideration will force fundamental changes in the fiscal relationship between the Commonwealth and its local governments. Whether in the drastic funding reductions for constitutional officials, the dollar reductions and policy changes in public education, or a range of proposals in public safety and human services, the new state budgets will shift an unprecedented amount of costs to local governments. Indeed, local governments, the Virginia Retirement System and state employees will likely end up doing the heavy lifting to balance the state budget.
Click here to read entire Legislative Day Bulletin.
POSTED Jan. 11
VACo releases its Legislative Priorities Brochure
*Printer-friendly version
*Brochure version
**Entire VACo 2010 Legislative Program
POSTED Jan. 11
New Supervisors Forum presentations page
About the Forum: The Virginia Association of Counties hosted the County Supervisors Forum for supervisors on Jan. 8-10. The purpose of the event was to expose new supervisors to critical issues facing counties today: financial responsibilities, schools, economic development, transportation, environmental protection, intergovernmental relations, legal issues and more.
Who attended: More than 60 newly elected and incumbent supervisors, chief county administrative officers and other government managers departed with information they need to steer their locality forward.
Presentations: In case you missed the New Supervisors Forum, we have posted below presentations from different sessions.
Click here to visit New Supervisors Forum presentation page
POSTED Jan. 7
A MUST READ: VACo's budget summary by Mike Edwards, Dean Lynch and Larry Land
The economic downturn continues to negatively impact state revenue growth and in turn available funding for Virginia’s core services. As stated in a Gov. Timothy M. Kaine budget summary document, “… the revenue forecast for FY 2012 is for fewer general fund dollars than FY 2007” and “…overall state aid to localities is reduced by $2.6 billion, through cuts in education, public safety, and other programs.”
CLICK HERE TO READ ENTIRE BUDGET SUMMARY.
