The Secretary of State assigned proposition numbers to the 11 issues that are expected to be considered on the November ballot. Click here for an updated summary of the proposals.
Supervisor Stapley Elected NACo President
America's county officials unanimously elected Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley to serve as president of the National Association of Counties (NACo), during the association's annual conference held July 11-15 in Kansas City, Missouri.
"It is a great honor to be recognized by my colleagues across the country," said Stapley. "I am eager to lead the national movement to restore collaboration between federal and county governments. A strong partnership is critical to developing innovative, responsive solutions to our shared responsibilities."
CSA President Jim Palmer said, "The Arizona delegation is absolutely thrilled with Don's success. He's a humble, visionary public servant who knows how to get things done. NACo is stronger with Don at the helm."
At the conference, Stapley also unveiled two signature initiatives for his term:
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Increase green vehicle fleets in America's counties. Stapley is working with the federal government, auto manufacturers and others to combine education, advocacy and discounted purchasing opportunities to assist counties in moving toward green fleets.
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Promote a civil dialogue on immigration. Recognizing the bitter debate about illegal immigration in the U.S. has erected impediments to thoughtful, economically rational national policy, Stapley intends to use the powerful NACo platform to promote civil discussions and help leaders at all levels to build consensus around a workable system of legal immigration.
NACo will publicize opportunities to participate in these initiatives over the course of the next year. Click here to see NACo's press release on President Stapley.
Pictured: President Stapley takes the oath of office, administered by his wife, Kathy, and father, Thomas. Photo credit: David Hathcox
Arizona Supervisors Shape NACo Policies
Arizona's county supervisors were on hand to support President Stapley as he took over NACo's leadership, and to participate in the annual conference's workshops and policy-setting groups.
Our state has consistently benefited from outstanding county leadership, and this year's NACo appointments are certainly no exception. As President Don Stapley organized leadership for his term, eight CSA members were appointed to high-level association or policy committee positions:
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Supervisor Liz Archuleta (Coconino) will serve as chair of the NACo Public Lands Steering Committee;
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Supervisor Fulton Brock (Maricopa) will serve as vice-chair of the NACo Telecommunications and Technology Steering Committee;
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Supervisor John Maynard (Santa Cruz) will serve as chair of the NACo Solid Waste Subcommittee;
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Supervisor David Snider (Pinal) will serve as vice chair of the NACo Energy Subcommittee;
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Supervisor Lenore Stuart (Yuma) will serve as chair of the NACo Health Disparities Subcommittee;
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Supervisor David Tenney (Navajo) will serve as a member of the NACo Board of Directors and as vice-chair of the Public Lands Steering Committee;
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Supervisor Tom White (Apache) will serve as an at-large member of the NACo Board of Directors and as chair of the NACo Native American Subcommittee;
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Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox (Maricopa) will serve as vice-chair of the NACo Human Services and Education Steering Committee.
Through the ongoing efforts of the steering committees, policy committees and subcommittees, NACo was able to adopt more than 100 new policy initiations this year. Many of the issues are of importance to Arizona's county supervisors, including ongoing support for maintaining the current definition of "navigable waters" in the reauthorization of the Clean Water Act. Proposed changes to the "navigable waters" definition could put Arizona's many ephemeral drainages under federal regulatory authority, although such drainages rarely carry water and lack a connection to true waters of the United States.
For more information on NACo's policy platforms, visit their website.
Photo Radar Plan Speeds Ahead
Yesterday, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced it will not be long until the state's new photo radar program is up and running. DPS plans to have half of the 100 cameras included in the plan snapping photos of speeders by the end of September, just days after the date the measure creating the photo enforcement plan becomes effective. The rest are expected to be operational by January. (The state FY09 budget contained authorization for the expanded use of photo radar. Click here for more information.)
The photo enforcement program will include 60 stationary cameras and 40 mobile vans for red light and speed enforcement, a large increase over the two mobile units DPS currently uses. Cameras will snap at any vehicle traveling 10 or more miles over the limit. DPS reports that the initial deployment of the cameras will be at locations with a high incidence of accidents in the Phoenix metro area, and the program will eventually be expanded to include Flagstaff and Tucson.
Redflex Traffic Systems, based in Scottsdale, was awarded the statewide photo enforcement contract. Redflex also managed Scottsdale's cameras on the Loop 101 and DPS' photo enforcement pilot program.
Counties across State, Nation Investigate Four-day Work Week
As energy costs climb, local and state governments across the U.S. are considering a shift from five to four-day work weeks. After Utah Governor Jon Huntsman announced that the state would move most of its employees to a four day week late last month, many local agencies began contemplating whether the shift might work for them. Yesterday, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano announced that she had asked the Department of Administration to investigate the possibility of a similar plan in this state.
To offer more flexibility for employees, some departments work on a schedule that keeps the department open five days a week while rotating staff so that all employees work only four days out of the week. With energy costs rising, however, many local governments are looking for ways to shut down offices for a full day, saving 20 percent of the week's heating, cooling, and overhead costs. To compensate for the shift, agencies like the State of Utah have expanded hours from 7 am to 6 pm and increased the amount of services available online.
While Utah is the first state to adopt a four-day work week, counties in Texas, Florida, New York, Wisconsin, and Illinois all have some form of a shortened work week, whether it is mandatory or voluntary and for some or all county departments. Counties with a four-day week report increased employee satisfactions as well as cost savings.
Closer to home, the City of Avondale, Arizona has a four-day week for employees, and multiple school districts are considering the concept. Some charter schools in the state have already implemented it. Several counties have suggested the idea as a possible legislative proposal for next year and CSA will continue to research and provide background on this emerging county issue.
Counties Find Innovative Ways to Navigate Fiscal Constraints
Planning for the best use of county land and service delivery has never been easy. With many counties facing decreased revenues, everything seems more complicated and prioritization sometimes seems very difficult.
Increasingly, local governments are using new tools and creativity to focus on how any single solution might be shaped to solve multiple problems, benefiting everyone.
The Viable Futures Toolkit, a guide to create sustainable communities for all ages, provides counties with ways to think more broadly about what can be done, even amidst fiscal constraints, to build communities that are good places for people of all ages to live. The toolkit has already been used by communities in at least 20 states.
This article was originally published in the NACo County News on June 30, 2008.
