AGENDA DATE: 10/10/2018
TITLE:
Title
Proposed 2019 Legislative Priorities
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Consideration and approval of the Proposed 2019 Legislative Priorities
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Kamptner, and Blount
PRESENTER (S): Greg Kamptner
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: Each year the Board considers and approves its legislative priorities and submits them to the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC), the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo), and the Virginia Municipal League (VML). Generally, the TJPDC’s legislative program incorporates the County’s legislative priorities. Other initiatives are sometimes added prior to the General Assembly session.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Mission: to enhance the well-being and quality of life for all citizens through the provision of the highest level of public service consistent with the prudent use of public funds.
DISCUSSION: At the Board’s September 12, 2018 meeting, staff proposed several legislative priorities for discussion (Attachment A), together with some possible priorities arising after the executive summary deadline for that meeting. Following are brief updates on work done on these possible priorities since September 12:
Impact Fees: Priority: Support enabling impact fees, which would replace cash proffers. Status: A draft resolution supporting the enabling authority has been prepared by David Blount.
Courts: Priority: Enable general district court to be located outside of Court Square, possibly on jointly owned land. Status: County representatives will be meeting with two local legislators on Friday October 5 to discuss the proposed legislation.
Stormwater management: Priority: Enable localities to accept stream restoration as a stormwater management best management practice. Status: Staff is exploring other possible stakeholders, including the Virginia Municipal Stormwater Association (“VAMSA”). Staff also has received conflicting information from a VAMSA representative as to whether stream restoration does or does not qualify as a best management practice.
Zoning: Priority: Enable notices for zoning violations to be mailed by certified, rather than registered, mail. Status: The sponsor of the current law would accept adding “certified mail” to the mailing options, but staff will explore sponsorship of the legislation through a member of the local delegation.
Environmental: Priority: Enable localities to prohibit businesses using disposable plastic bags and straws; require bottle deposits. Status: Staff anticipates that several legislators will submit legislation pertaining to these issues that the County can support.
Homestays: Priority: Initiate legislation to require homestay platforms to report all homestay businesses operating in each locality each year. Status: The Board supported this new suggestion from the County’s Department of Finance at its September 12 meeting.
Identified, but not discussed, at September 12 meeting:
Animals: Priority: Initiate enabling authority to expand the subject matter in which localities’ regulations may be more stringent. Status: Staff has additional work to do on this issue.
Public Safety Volunteers: Priority: Initiate tax deduction incentives for public safety volunteers similar to those available for volunteers with other entities: Status: Staff has additional work to do on this issue.
Antique motor vehicles: Priority: Initiate legislation to amend the definition of “antique motor vehicle” to increase the age of the vehicle from 25 years to 30 years. Status: Staff has additional work to do on this issue.
New:
JLARC Study on Workforce and Small Business Incentives: Priority: Support improving the State’s targeting of grants to businesses that pay higher wages by increasing the minimum wage requirements for eligible grant applicants. Rationale: Although the proposed change to targeting grants would not guarantee that wages would increase, but it could further improve targeting grants because some businesses paying low wages, on average, would no longer qualify for grants.
State funding for education: Priority: Support the statement on education funding from the TJPDC Legislation Program: “The Planning District localities urge the State to fully fund its share of the realistic costs of the Standards of Quality (SOQ) without making policy changes that reduce funding or shift funding responsibility to localities.” Status: This issue arose during the September 12 work session when Mr. Gallaway spoke of the high return on investment regarding State financial assistance for economically-disadvantaged students.
State funding for regional library systems: Priority: Support full funding of State Aid to JMRL and other regional libraries in the State system. Rationale: Virginia’s Stated Aid to local libraries is based on a formula established by the State. This funding is used by the Jefferson Madison Regional Library (“JMRL”). JMRL relies on these funds exclusively for library materials (books, CDs, DVDs, serials, and downloadable digital content), and does not request funding from the County or other members of the library system for these materials. Over the past 10 years, State Aid funding to JMRL is approximately $4.7 million below that called for in the funding formula, and JMRL Because demand for materials in different formats increasing, the localities served by JMRL will be called upon to provide the funding that the State is not.
Solar energy production: Priority: Remove existing cap on solar energy production. Status: Staff has additional work to do on this issue.
BUDGET IMPACT: The County’s legislative priorities seek to ensure that the state adequately funds its mandated responsibilities and does not jeopardize the County’s ability to effectively and efficiently implement the policies (including fiscal) and programs that it deems necessary. There are no specific, identifiable budget impacts.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board review the updated 2019 Proposed Legislative Priorities and recommend any changes it determines to be appropriate. Staff will return to the Board on November 7.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - September 12, 2018 Executive Summary