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 Though Representative Jennifer Burns was elected to represent a district that includes five counties, all fifteen of Arizona's counties understand the notable impact her efforts have had on their region. Representative Burns has been a key player in preventing harmful cuts and cost shifts to counties. She helped obtain significant ALTCS relief for counties and fended off arbitrary and harmful caps on public health, jail and library districts. In addition, she championed numerous CSA legislative priorities, including county graffiti abatement authority and public health protections.
After six years in the state House of Representatives, last week she announced that she would not seek re-election this year. Though we wish her luck on her future endeavors, she will be missed both as a legislative advocate and friend to county supervisors and CSA staff.
Representative Burns took the time to speak with us regarding her legislative experiences and work for counties:
You've been active on numerous issues during your time as a legislator. What are the highlights of the last six years?
I'm proud of the investments we've made in Arizona's future through education and economic development, including increased funding to K-12 and higher education, research buildings and Science Foundation Arizona. I've also enjoyed developing and fighting for fiscally responsible budgets that invest in our future and protect services that are critical to state and county constituents.
In the coming years, what big issues do you think counties will have to deal with at the legislature?
Counties will have to continue to protect critical services from budget cuts as the legislature deals with economic ups and downs. As our state continues to grow, counties will also have to balance the divide between rural and urban areas. It's imperative that legislative policies work for all of Arizona, not just the urban areas.
How do you think rural Arizona can increase its influence within legislative proceedings?
It's important to build relationships with all legislators before a big issue is present, rather than try to create influence in the middle of a policy debate.
What would you like to communicate to your own county supervisors, and the other members of CSA?
I appreciate and truly value the relationships I have built with the county supervisors, in my district and throughout Arizona. It has been my honor to be a strong supporter of the counties and to have worked together on issues of importance to them. I look forward to working together for many years to come.
The legislature continues its work on the 2008 legislative session, but counties are already planning ahead on their priorities for 2009 legislative action. CSA's policy development process helps county supervisors identify priority policy items designed to help counties deliver efficient, responsive services to constituents.
Proposals must be submitted to CSA by July 30, 2008. Click here for the legislative proposals packet, which includes:
 After months of discussions, a group of business leaders filed a ballot initiative this week that would establish a statewide sales tax dedicated to transportation funding. The initiative, titled the "Transportation and Infrastructure Moving Arizona's Economy (TIME) Act," would ask voters to approve a one-cent increase to the sales tax rate that would bring in approximately $42.6 billion over the next 30 years.Though the initiative does not outline specific transportation projects that would be funded with the new resources, it does delineate how the monies would be divided:
The initiative does not outline the specific projects that will be funded with the highway portion of the revenues, and ADOT will be responsible for determining funding priorities.
In addition to the funding distributions, the proposal also establishes broad authority to ADOT for the establishment of public-private partnerships (toll roads) across the state. It is worth nothing that though the legislature spent significant time considering several toll road proposals this year, the bills did not move forward to the Governor's office.
The TIME Coalition members must collect more than 150,000 valid signatures before July 3 in order to successfully place the proposal on the November ballot.
Click here to view the ballot initiative.
This Week at the Legislature: Issue Updates Water Supply
.jpg/200px-Water_Bucket_(300_x_400).jpg) Arizona homebuyers would receive additional reminders to evaluate the water adequacy of their potential new home under a measure approved by the legislature this week. HB 2270: water supply; disclosure (Clark) would require the Arizona Department of Real Estate and the Arizona Department of Water Resources to provide online reminders and information about the importance of evaluating water supply before purchasing a new home. In addition, it would require a city, town or private water company located outside of an Active Management Area to provide information on the water supply status of a property within its service area when requested to do so.The measure was supported by the Arizona Association of Realtors, who felt it "got rid of the middleman" and allowed potential homebuyers to obtain water supply information directly from the entity that supplied the water to the parcel. If approved by the Governor, the bill would become effective January 1, 2009.
Stormwater
This week, SB 1288: local stormwater pollution prevention (Flake) received final legislative approval and was forwarded to the Governor for consideration. The bill, which is included in CSA's legislative agenda, gives counties the authority necessary to develop their own stormwater management programs. Five counties in
Tax Lien Sales
 The legislature unanimously approved a measure that would allow county boards of supervisors to sell tax delinquent properties directly to a homeowner who erroneously believed the delinquent property was included in their parcel. HB 2523: tax lien sale; regulation (Crandall) was designed to address problems that arise when homeowners are asked to pay extravagant fees to obtain ownership of a portion of property contiguous to their own. Due to unusual parcel divisions, many homeowners have been faced with this situation.HB 2523 would allow boards of supervisors to sell the delinquent properties to homeowners outside of an auction process if the property for sale and the contiguous property were under common ownership or if the property is part of a common area of an HOA. The property also must not be used for residential purposes.
The bill's sponsor, Representative Rich Crandall (R-19), worked with Maricopa County Treasurer Charles Hoskins to draft the proposal, which would become effective immediately if the Governor chooses to sign it.
The legislature adjourned early this week in order to grant more time to the working group charged with creating a Republican-backed FY09 budget agreement. The groups, which are made up of hand-picked members of the Republican caucus, spent hours this week discussing potential budget cuts and fund sweeps that will balance the projected $1.9 billion deficit for this fiscal year.
The membership of the working group increased this week when Senator Jake Flake (R-5) was added to the negotiations. Senator Flake is no stranger to budget negotiations and, given his understanding of rural and county issues, will be a beneficial addition to the team. He joins the current membership, which includes Senators Allen, Burns, Gorman, Gould, Huppenthal, O'Halleran and Verschoor and Representatives Adams, Biggs, Boone, Clark, Groe, Kavanagh, Konopnicki, McComish and Tobin.
Budget optimists point to the process being made by the small-group negotiations and predict a forthcoming wrap-up to the legislative session; pessimists say the proposal will be seen as "veto bait" and will only lead to more discussions with Democratic input.
This week, the legislature considered the following bills with county impacts. Click here to obtain archived videos of legislative proceedings.
As budget negotiations continue, the House and Senate will likely focus on the handful of legislative proposals still working their way through the process. No Appropriations Committee hearings have been scheduled.
For daily information on votes and schedules, visit the legislative calendar.
Visit the CSA Calendar of Events at www.countysupervisors.org/calendar.
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County Supervisors Association of Arizona
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