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Leadership ♦ Research ♦ Advocacy ♦ Newsletter ♦ Speakers ♦ Counties ♦ Alliances ♦ Calendar ♦ Contact
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In the June 5, 2009 CSA Legislative Recap:
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manny Ruiz attended the 2009 County Leadership in New York City last week. The Institute, co-sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo) and New York University's Wagner School of Public Policy. The conference brought together 30 county officials from across the country to develop leadership skills and discuss solutions to problems that cross jurisdictional boundaries.
Supervisor Ruiz called the Institute a "gratifying and wonderful experience." He said, "The Institute was very worthwhile, not only because of the faculty, but because of the opportunity to network with other elected officials. We talked about some of the issues that all of us have in common: public safety, and continuing to provide outstanding service to our constituents in a downturn."
The County Supervisors Association nominates candidates to the annual County Leadership Institute. For more information, click here.
Both Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and the House and Senate proposed plans to close the state deficit this week. The Legislature approved a plan that includes $630 billion in spending cuts, over $1 billion in stimulus funds, and a repeal of the state equalization property tax. The Governor's plan includes $600 millions in additional spending cuts, $800 million in stimulus funds, a temporary 1 cent sales tax and a gradual 3-year phase out of the state equalization tax. The legislative budget patches a $3 billion deficit. The Governor thinks the hole is bigger and crafted her plan to address a $4 billion shortfall.
The Legislative plan contains nearly $100 million in county impacts, including a massive shift of $53 million in county Vehicle License Taxes to fund state education obligations. The plan phases out state cost-sharing for justice of the peace salaries and requires Maricopa and Pima counties to transfer a total of $27.9 million to the state general fund.
The Governor's plan includes $19 million in county impacts, including an option that requires counties to pay for the costs of housing sexually violent prisoners in the Arizona Community Protection and Treatment Center.
The reaction to the budget plans indicates that a stalemate may be on the horizon. The Governor has stated that she will not sign a budget that includes deep cuts to social programs and education. While legislative leaders have indicated a willingness to negotiate with Governor Brewer, many members have said they will not vote for a plan with a tax increase.
To view CSA's estimates of county impacts in the respective budgets, click for the Governor's plan or the Legislative plan.
 Lots of changes will be coming to the Arizona Supreme Court over the next year. After four years as the Chief Justice, Ruth McGregor will retire in 2009, clearing the way for current Vice Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch to ascend to the court's top spot.The Supreme Court is Arizona's highest court of appeal, as well as the body that creates and implements administrative policy for all courts across the state. As Chief Justice McGregor's term cones to a close, so does her strategic agenda--"Good to Great." Justice McGregor focused on integrating new technology into the court system, including an e-filing system and fillable forms to assist people who represent themselves in small claims cases and other simple filings. Good to Great also included initiatives to protect vulnerable populations, and improve the legal profession in Arizona.
Justice Berch is looking to pick up where Good to Great left off as she begins the development of her own strategic agenda. Justice Berch said "we will be continuing Chief Justice McGregor's emphasis on technology, which has become so important to our courts. I'm also interested in judicial independence, creating job stability for local judges, and continuing to work on regulation of the legal profession."
The Supreme Court has opened a website to include the public in the development of the new strategic plan. Justice Berch encouraged people to visit the site, saying, "We want as much input as possible-from every level of government as well as from the general public. We have many stakeholders who interact with the courts in different ways, and they can offer valuable insight from different perspectives."
To provide suggestions to the court, visit www.sp2010.courts.az.gov .
The National Association of Counties (NACo) policy steering committee process for 2009-2010 is underway. Please submit your application or interest in continuing on a steering committee to Penny Adams at CSA no later than June 16. Nominations must be approved and submitted by the state association through Executive Director Craig Sullivan.
There are different processes for supervisors already serving on a steering committee and those supervisors who are new to the process.
Supervisors who currently serve on a steering committee for 2008-09 should notify CSA if:
For those county officials who are new to the process and do not currently serve on a steering committee:
The NACo president-elect will consider approval of all nominations after the NACo Annual Conference in July. NACo will announce the appointments to steering committees in September. Top
Approval of the joint budget plan consumed much of the Legislature's time this week, with the Senate approving a plan at 4:00 a.m on Thursday morning and the House voting on the plan Thursday night.
The legislature heard the following proposals with county impact this week:
HB 2329: solar energy; permit fees (Boone) passed House Third Read 44-7.
With the passage of a set of a budget plan, the Senate is finally cleared to hear bills for the first time, 145 days into the session. Senate committees will begin hearing Senate bills next week.
SB 1011: sex offender registration; study committee (L. Gray) will be heard in Senate Judiciary on Monday, June 8 at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 1.
SB 1002: elected officials; print; visual media (Waring) and
SB 1038: agency accounts; technical correction (R. Pearce) (Strike Everything amendment: revenue sharing; Native American tribes) and
SB 1142: public expenditure transparency database (Paton) and
SB 1162: GIITEM appropriation; multijurisdictional task-force (R. Pearce) and
SB 1401: juvenile adjudication; probation; disposition (Verschoor) and
SB 1441: public expenditure transparency (Melvin) and will be heard in Senate Appropriations in Tuesday, June 9 at 1:30 p.m. In Senate Hearing 109.
SB 1146: expenditure limitation; penalty waiver; Pima (S. Allen) and
SB 1271: jail district; property tax limit (S. Allen) and
SB 1421: special districts; secondary levy limits (Waring) will be heard in Senate Finance on Wednesday, June 10 at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 1.
SCR 1044: property tax exemption; disabled veterans (Melvin) will be heard in Senate Veterans and Military Affairs on Wednesday, June 10, at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 2.
SB 1297: flood control districts; remainder parcels (Nelson) and
SB 1259: aggregate mine reclamation; initiation; extension (S. Allen) and
SB 1260: aggregate mine reclamation law; exemption (S. Allen) and
SB 1167: department of environmental quality, continuation (Nelson) will be heard in Senate Natural Resources, Infrastructure, and Public Debt on Thursday, June 11 at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 109.
SB 1161: PSPRS; reemployment (R. Pearce) and
SB 1250: retirement; sick leave payments (Paton) will be heard in Senate Retirement and Rural Development on Thursday, June 11 at 9:00 a.m. in Senate Hearing Room 3.
Visit the CSA Calendar of Events at www.countysupervisors.org/calendar
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County Supervisors Association of Arizona
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