Budget Update: Brewer Signs Most of Budget, Vetoes Property Tax Repeal
Governor Brewer announced at a press conference today that she has signed the majority of the budget package sent to her, with the exception of the revenue bill (SB 1025), the bill that included the permanent repeal of the state education property tax. With her veto, the tax will be assessed for the current tax year.
The Governor also line item vetoed approximately $300 million in cuts, restoring funding for health services and K-12 education.
A spokesman for the Governor indicated that she and legislative leadership would begin work on a "clean-up" bill to appropriate funds to state agencies with budgets included in the vetoed bill. Governor Brewer also reaffirmed her comittment to referring a sales tax increase to the voters to solve the state's ongoing fiscal crisis.
Court of Appeals Rules for Local Governments in Qwest Right-of-Way Case
The Arizona Court of Appeals reached a decision in Qwest v. City of Chandler late last month, clarifying that a utility with improvements in a public right-of-way pursuant to a franchise agreement needs to bear the costs of relocation when those lines interfere with a public purpose and need to be moved. The case involved the relocation of telecommunication equipment out of a Chandler roadway for redevelopment purposes. Qwest argued that their pre-statehood franchise and an accompanying law from 1877 exempted them from having to pay for the relocation and that the city should bear the costs.
The opinion will be published and circulated as legal precedent in Arizona on this issue.
It’s not clear yet if Qwest will file a motion for reconsideration with the Court of Appeals, or possibly a Petition for Review with the Arizona Supreme Court. Find the Court’s opinion here.
Navajo County Encourages Employees to Go Green
-By Laurie Stradling, Navajo County Community Services Coordinator
NAVAJO COUNTY — Navajo County challenges its residents to focus on making their cars and homes more efficient as part of the National Association of Counties (NACo) annual Green County Competitions: the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR Campaign and the Drive $marter Challenge.
The Change the World campaign is an energy efficiency campaign in which counties collect pledges from county employees and residents to not only change a light in their home to an energy efficient one, but to also take other actions to save energy. Energy-saving actions could include power-managing computers, choosing efficient appliances, and properly programming home thermostats.
The Drive $marter Challenge is a fuel-efficiency campaign launched in 2008 by The Wal-Mart Foundation, NACo and more than a dozen other partners to help U.S. consumers lower their gasoline costs by using less. The campaign offers effective money- and gas-saving tips in English and Spanish and extensive additional resources – all aimed at keeping more money in drivers’ pockets and reducing the number of costly trips to the pump.
Navajo County has accepted both of NACo’s challenges, with the cooperation of Wal-Mart and AutoZone stores in both Winslow and Show Low.
Three winning counties (one each from a small, medium and large county) from this year’s Change the World competition will receive a $5,000 grant, courtesy of Wal-Mart. Three winning counties from this year’s Drive $marter Challenge will receive a $3,500 grant from AutoZone.
CSA's 2009 Legislative Summary
While the budget negotiations at the state capitol continue, the legislature passed 213 bills. The CSA Legislative Summary details 44 of those bills that have an impact on county operation.
Since budget negotiations are ongoing, the summary only includes non-budget measures from the legislature's first regular session. An updated budget summary will be released once the budget is completed.
To view the summary, click here. You can click on bill numbers in the document to access the bill information on the Arizona Legislative Information Service (ALIS).
RSVP For Public-Private Partnership Workshop
Wilbur Smith Associates, KPMG and the law firm of Nossaman are sponsoring a workshop on public-private partnerships in Arizona. If anyone in your county is interested in learning more about this hot legislative topic, the workshop is September 29, 2009 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The workshop may include a presentation from Republican lawmaker and House Transportation Committee chair Andy Biggs (R-22). This year, the legislature passed a measure allowing the state to enter into public-private partnerships for transportation projects.
To register for the workshop, email Kate Hedden at Wilbur Smith Associates at LHedden@WilburSmith.com or call 480-477-8650 by September 25. To view an agenda for the workshop, click here.
CSA Outreach Heads to Graham, Greenlee Counties
After visiting Cochise County this week, CSA will proceed to the last two stops on our outreach tour:
September 15, 2009- Graham and Greenlee Counties
September 21, 2009- Yavapai County
CSA appreciates all the counties for visiting with us during our outreach tour. See you on the road!
