100 counties, one voice

Unified message from counties carries weight in halls of General Assembly

It’s hard to stand out in a crowd, but that’s exactly what counties are going to have to do this year if we are to make progress on any of our legislative priorities (Medicaid relief, school construction and revenue options).

Counties are not the only ones clamoring for help from the General Assembly. Mental health advocates will be asking for more state funds for the ongoing reform initiative. State employees and public school teachers will be asking for another well-deserved raise, and education supporters will clamor for more money for the classroom. Gov. Mike Easley has already said that he will propose millions more in needed spending for our judicial system. All of this will occur despite even the best projections showing a budget deficit looming for 2007-08.

Coalitions seeking state bond funds for land preservation, roads and public transportation projects, affordable housing, and water and sewer projects will also be advocating their causes, while we will be making our case for another state-supported public school capital bond. State Treasurer Richard Moore said recently that he expects the General Assembly to be inundated this spring with bond proposals that could total as much as $9 billion. According to Moore, the state’s bond capacity is in the range of $1.5 billion to $2 billion.

The challenge for counties is evident. We have to make ourselves stand out from the rest. One of the best ways we can assure that our voices will rise above the cacophony that will be the General Assembly is to make sure that we are all singing from the same hymn book.

In mid-January, the membership gathered in Pinehurst to settle on our legislative priorities for the next two years. Some of the proposals generated spirited debate among counties as to what would be the best approach for that particular issue.

Now that the voting has concluded, it’s time for us to rally together and do our part. Some of the issues may impact certain counties more than others, but that doesn’t make them any less important to all 100 counties. Whenever we are making our case to legislators and others, we must present a united front.

Inspirational author Barry Neil Kaufman once wrote, “A loud voice cannot compete with a clear voice.” Our success does not depend on what we say or how often we say it, but rather on what others hear from us.