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CountyLines: November 2011 End justifies the means for combined tax collections Improved motor vehicle tax collection rates make 2012-13 budget costs worth the effort
Quarter-cent sales tax referenda perfect in 2011 County quarter-cent sales tax referenda enjoyed a perfect 4-for-4 day at the polls Nov. 8, giving the local revenue option a sweep for 2011. Voters in Buncombe, Durham, Montgomery and Orange counties approved the measure in early November. Cabarrus (May 17) and Halifax (Feb. 1) counties also received voter approval in 2011.
Sagging economy evident in county budgets The third year of a faltering state economy continued to take its toll on county budgets, according to the Association's annual budget and tax survey. The 2011-12 survey showed that counties again took several steps to make up for declining revenues, including continued cuts in overall year-to-year appropriations, reduced funding to schools, the elimination of filled and vacant positions, reductions to employee benefits including salaries, and the implementation of employee furloughs.
Have your say as a 'County Ambassador'  I feel so strongly that we, as local elected leaders in our communities, must get out and spread the word about the good work that our counties are doing for citizens. At our Board of Directors meeting in October, we approved the implementation plan for the County Ambassador Program. This initiative is part of our strategic goal to "educate the public about the role of county government." The program recognizes county commissioners who are getting out and educating the citizens about what county governments do. Each commissioner in the state will be mailed a card to record his or her public speaking engagements. Once you have filled this log, you will simply return it to the Association offices and you will receive recognition as an official County Ambassador.
Mental health reform draws Board of Directors' attention The NCACC Board of Directors welcomed 11 new members during its Oct. 14-15 meeting, during which members voted to pursue continued revisions to the state's ongoing mental health restructuring efforts.
Misdemeanant Confinement Program sprints toward 2012 launch The Justice Reinvestment Act (JRA) legislation passed by the General Assembly during the 2011 long session is a sweeping reform of the state's criminal justice system and makes changes to where prisoners are housed, probation and parole, and many other aspects of the criminal justice system. The new legislation puts all misdemeanants with sentences of between 91 and 180 days into the newly created Statewide Misdemeanant Confinement Program, which is scheduled to launch Jan. 1, 2012.
Steering committees discuss state of legislative goals Each of the Association's seven steering committees met in October, primarily to review the status of 2011-12 legislative goals and prepare for any potential 2012 Short Session action.
Managing Your Risk Evolving 'boiler and machinery' coverage only sounds outdated
Carruth: Take measures to avoid workplace slips and trips It is important to understand the causes of falls and develop ways to prevent and reduce the frequency of their occurrence. Slips, trips and falls are all major loss sources for our Workers' Compensation and Liability and Property pools.
Entries for Outstanding County Program Awards due Feb. 17 Applications are now being accepted for the NCACC's 2011 Outstanding County Program Awards competition. To download an application, visit www.ncacc.org/awards/
Have planning and zoning questions? Get answers at SOG workshop  The School of Government is offering a one-day workshop, "Community Planning and Zoning: Making Better Decisions," with faculty member David Owens to help elected officials know the right questions to ask about planning and zoning issues, how to navigate the zoning process, work effectively with others, and consider the long-term impact of the zoning decisions they are asked to make.
Bowles offers sobering commentary on fiscal responsibility There may be no one currently better suited to opine on the national debt crisis than Erskine Bowles, President Emeritus of the University of North Carolina system and co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Bowles delivered a staggering assessment of the state of federal debt during the 2011 Public Administration Conference held Nov. 3-4 at the School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill.
More from this month's CountyLines: |
