VACo’s 1207 to the 95 Blog – The Opioid Crisis: How Do I Learn More?
Over the past decade, American communities have become all too familiar with the scourge of addiction – in particular, opioid abuse. This unique and deadly epidemic continues to grow with few localities remaining unscathed from the devastating impacts. Given the critical nature of this issue, VACo is working to ensure that members have the resources […]
Capitol Contact ALERT – Contact Legislators to Uphold Governor’s Veto of Troubling Assessment Bill
HB 1204 (Hugo) would require that certain property be assessed based on use value rather than fair market value in certain localities meeting specified population growth criteria (Arlington County and Loudoun County) – whether or not the locality had adopted land use value taxation. This legislation was introduced because of a dispute between the owners […]
Governor’s Amendments and Vetoes to be Considered at April 18 Reconvened Session
Governor Ralph Northam released his final amendments to legislation from the 2018 regular session on Monday, April 9. Gubernatorial amendments to 53 bills (including House and Senate pairs) will be considered by the General Assembly on April 18 at the Reconvened Session. For the Governor’s amendments to be accepted, both chambers must agree. Governor’s amendments […]
Support Governor’s veto of property assessment bill
HB 1204 (Hugo) would require that certain property be assessed based on use value rather than fair market value in certain localities meeting specified population growth criteria (Arlington County and Loudoun County). This legislation was introduced as a result of a dispute between the owners of two country clubs and Arlington County over the valuation […]
Governor’s Amendments to Bills of Interest to Local Governments
Solar tax exemption SB 902 (Lucas), a bill introduced at VACo’s request, would provide more local flexibility in the tax treatment of solar facilities. Under current law, solar facilities greater than 20 megawatts (MW) in generation capacity are provided a mandatory 80 percent exemption from local property taxes. SB 902 caps this mandatory exemption at […]
2018 VACo Supervisors’ Forum – That’s A Wrap!
Pictured from left to right – Madison County Supervisor Amber Foster, Grayson County Supervisor Tom Revels, Stafford County Supervisor Cindy Shelton, and VACo Executive Director Dean Lynch. VACo members from around the Commonwealth recently converged upon the Omni Richmond Hotel for the 2018 VACo Supervisors’ Forum. Throughout this two-day event, local officials engaged in numerous […]
2018 RWJF County Health Rankings Released
The 2018 RWJF County Health Rankings are here! Each year, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R)—a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Institute for Population Health—ranks nearly every county in the U.S on a number of vital health factors. The annual rankings serve as not only a measuring […]
Visit Dickenson County and the Birch Knob Tower
Photo Credit: Brad Deel Drone Photography & Videography The Birch Knob Observation Tower was completed in December of 2003 by the United States Forest Service after four years of construction. The purpose of the project was to provide recreational viewing opportunities for the public. The observation deck is at an elevation 3,144 feet above sea […]
National County Government Month
National County Government Month (NCGM), held each April, is an annual celebration of county government. Since 1991, the National Association of Counties has encouraged counties to actively promote the services and programs they offer. Counties can schedule activities any time during the month. NCGM is an excellent opportunity for your county to highlight effective county […]
VACo volunteers at 71st Annual YMCA Model General Assembly
VACo Board Member and Rockingham County Supervisor Billy Kyger (left) receives the Service to Youth Award from Governor Ralph Northam and the Virginia YMCA for Kyger’s continued work and support of the Model General Assembly. Each spring, more than 550 high school students from across the Commonwealth descend on Richmond to take part in the […]
Khaki LaRiviere visits Cumberland County for job fair
From left to right – Nicci Edmondston (Cumberland County Administrator/Finance), Vivian Seay Giles (Cumberland County Administrator), Khaki LaRiviere (VACo), and Roxanne Salerno (Financial Services Associate) Cumberland County High School hosted a career fair last week with more than 20 participating organizations, including Dominion Energy, McGuireWoods Consulting, C&F Bank, and VACo. CHS students shared career interests, […]
The Virginia Renewable Energy Alliance Presents: Leveraging the Legal and Regulatory Parameters to Increase Renewables in Virginia
VACo’s Chris McDonald (left) was a speaker at a past VA-REA event. VACo’s Joe Lerch is a confirmed speaker this year. VA-REA is kicking off its 2018 Leadership in Energy Advancement and Development (LEAD) series on Thursday, April 26 with a one-day event that will cover recent legislative and executive branch catalysts for renewable energy […]
1207 to the 95: How Well Do You Know the Gig Economy?
WELCOME TO OUR EDUCATION BLOG! We hope that the resources, research, and information you find here will prove helpful to county officials of all levels as you go about the work of the people. Here at 1207 to the 95, we’ll be sharing information about various studies and reports, summaries of new issues facing counties, […]
General Assembly Adjourns Regular Session Without Adopting Budget; Special Session to Convene April 11
The General Assembly adjourned the 2018 regular session sine die on March 10 without completing work on the 2018-2020 biennium budget and the FY 2018 “caboose” budget, a result that was set in motion on Thursday, March 8, when budget conferees announced that they had reached an impasse over the issue of Medicaid expansion. The […]
Visit Page County and the Luray Singing Tower
The Luray Singing Tower, officially known as the Belle Brown Northcott Memorial, was erected in 1937 in memory of Colonel T.C. Northcott’s wife. At 117 feet in height the Luray Singing Tower contains a carillon of 47 bells. The largest bell weighs 7,640 pounds and is six feet in diameter. The smallest weighs a mere […]
State General Fund Revenue Collections Continue Growth in February
State General Fund revenue collections continued to perform well in February, growing by 10.9 percent. Total revenue collections are up 6.2 percent on a fiscal year-to-date basis, ahead of the projection of 3.4 percent growth. Individual income tax paid through payroll withholding, which generates the lion’s share of General Fund revenues, continues to be an […]