Use value as opposed to fair market value for LCI calculation
HB 191 (Minchew) requires that use value (as opposed to fair market value) be utilized when calculations are made of the Local Composite Index (LCI). On February 3, the Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee of the House Education Committee voted to refer the bill without recommendation to the House Appropriation Committee.
Join us for the VACo Rural Caucus Reception and Dinner
Register today for the annual Rural Caucus Reception and Dinner where attendees will gather to discuss issues that impact rural Virginia. Attendees will meet during a short reception followed by dinner where they will listen to a “fireside chat” between state representatives and cabinet secretaries.
February 3 County Connections
Read the February 3 County Connections
General Assembly in full swing means Capitol Contact in your inbox
It’s been a fast and furious General Assembly Session here at VACo. Our Legislative Team has worked hard advocating on a slew of issues affecting counties. We’ve chronicled these issues in Capitol Contacts since the start of the session. Capitol Contact is VACo’s legislative bulletin that is published at least twice a week on Tuesday […]
Education Illumination: Big education events coming up next week
VACo’s February events are a week away! The VACo Team is prepping for each of the three events to be held the second week in February. At 5:30 p.m. on February 10, VACo will host the annual Rural Caucus Reception and Dinner in the James River Ballroom on the second floor of Omni Richmond. This […]
Financial Facts
FASB issued a new standard in the beginning of January designed to improve the recognition and measurement of financial instruments through targeted changes to existing GAAP. Public and private companies, not-for-profits and employee benefit plans that hold financial assets or owe financial liabilities are affected by the standard. The new guidance is contained in Accounting […]
Visit Accomack County and the Assateague Lighthouse
The historic Assateague Lighthouse was built in 1867 on a natural bluff 22 feet above sea level, providing more height and visibility. Originally the lighthouse stood adjacent to the open sea at the Chincoteague Inlet. Due to the natural shifting sand southward on Assateague Island since 1850 the lighthouse now stands almost 5 miles from […]
Capitol Contact ALERT – Call and email NOW to oppose HB 801
Bill prohibits local governments from imposing ‘fees’ HB 801 (Morris) is before Subcommittee #4 of the House General Laws Committee on Thursday and your call or email to subcommittee members to oppose is very important.
Bill targeting local business taxes defeated
HB 217 (LeMunyon) provides that a locality may not increase the rate or assessment ratio of the Machinery and Tools Tax or Business Tangible Personal Property Tax on machinery and tools used in a business, the Merchants’ Capital Tax, or the Business, Professional and Occupational License (“BPOL”) tax or fee higher than the rate and […]
Local business taxes targeted by 2016 legislation
HB 545 (Watts) and SB 218 (Marsden) exclude wages, salaries and other benefits paid by a staffing firm to an independent contractor working on behalf of or for the benefit of the staffing firm’s clients pursuant to a professional employer organization services or temporary help services contract from the gross receipts of the staffing firm […]
Bills exclude information on ‘fracking’ chemicals from FOIA
HB 1389 (Robinson) and SB 706 (Chafin) are companion bills that amend the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by excluding as trade secrets the types of chemicals that may be used in the process of hydraulic fracturing (or fracking). HB 1389 was introduced by unanimous consent after the deadline passed for new bills to be […]
Local employee participation in state health insurance plans
SB 675 (Chafin) and HB 1215 (Kilgore) allow local school boards and local governing bodies to elect to have all their employees and retirees, as well as the dependents of employees and retirees, eligible to participate in the state employee health insurance plan. The local school boards and governing bodies shall be responsible for whatever […]
Local government impact bill
HB 27 (Ware) requires local fiscal impact bills to be introduced no later than the first calendar day of the regular session of the General Assembly, unless requested by the Governor or filed in accordance with the rules of the General Assembly. VACo supported this bill but it was tabled by voice vote in the […]
Charter school initiatives advance in House
HB 3 (Robert Bell) and HJR 1 (Robert Bell) were reported on a 10-9 vote in the House Privileges and Elections Committee on January 29. These initiatives put to referendum a constitutional amendment that would grant the Board of Education the authority to establish charter schools within the school divisions of the Commonwealth, subject to […]
Bill mandating health insurance credits fails
VACo worked to defeat SB 5 (Stanley) in today’s Senate Finance Committee meeting. SB 5 would have had a negative fiscal impact on localities. The legislation increases the amount of the monthly health insurance credit (HIC) payable to certain local service retirees with 15 or more years of total creditable service from $1.50 per year […]
Bill requires landfills to install gas collection control systems
HB 1358 (Fariss) requires all active sanitary landfills that hold a Title V operating permit issued by the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board and are located within one-half mile of any residence or residentially zoned property to install a landfill gas collection and control system by July 1, 2018, whether or not the Title V […]