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Leadership ♦ Research ♦ Advocacy ♦ Newsletter ♦ Speakers ♦ Counties ♦ Alliances ♦ Calendar ♦ Contact
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CSA will begin its 2008 county outreach tour next month, and will visit every county to report on the legislative session and a roadmap for our advocacy efforts. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Additional county visits will be scheduled; contact us for additional information.
 During the 2008 legislative session the legislature passed 347 bills, 315 of which were signed into law by Governor Napolitano. Due to the many areas of county service and the myriad connections to state-level government, 115 of the new laws will impact county operations in some way.The 2008 CSA Legislative Summary outlines the provisions of these bills with county impacts; click here for an electronic copy of the document.
Most laws will become effective September 26, 2008.
 Numerous legislators stepped up to provide strong support to counties throughout this legislative session, backing key issues and opposing bills with negative impacts. Our supporters represent many areas of the state, and their consistent voting record testifies to the strong relationships between county supervisors and their legislators.The 2008 CSA Legislative Scorecard illustrates our strong coalitions at the legislature. CSA sought support for 13 proposals in the House and Senate, and asked for opposition to three House votes. Those three votes (which would have permitted small counties to move to a five-member board, and two votes which would have capped library, flood control and public health district levies) failed in the House so the measures did not receive a vote in the Senate and are not included in the final tally for their chamber.
Senators Bee and Huppenthal and Representatives Alvarez, DeSimone, Konopnicki and Pancrazi showed strong support for CSA's positions, voting 100 percent of the time in our favor.
Like last session, Governor Napolitano signed every CSA-backed bill that made it to her desk.
Click here to see the 2008 CSA Legislative Scorecard.
Counties will soon receive an updated levy limit worksheet for tax year 2008 due to a decision by the state Property Tax Oversight Commission. The Commission voted to officially reduce net assessed property values (NAV) across the state, an action made necessary by a $54 million NAV reduction caused by a settlement with Qwest.
The settlement occurred after a lawsuit in which Qwest claimed their properties had been set at too high a value, thereby increasing the property taxes paid by the company. The settlement reduced Qwest's property valuations for previous tax years and requires taxing jurisdictions to refund the resulting overcharges.
The Commission voted to officially change the valuations in order to minimize confusion among local jurisdictions who are responsible for adapting their budgets and taxing practices to implement the settlement.
Updated levy limit worksheets, and an accompanying letter of explanation from the Arizona Department of Revenue, are expected to be mailed to counties across the state next week.
Visit the CSA Calendar of Events at www.countysupervisors.org/calendar.
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County Supervisors Association of Arizona
1905 W. Washington, Suite 100 Phoenix, Arizona 85009 Privacy & Security Statement Leadership / Research / Advocacy / Newsletter / Speakers / Counties / Alliances / Calendar / Contact |