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Portsmouth to spend a disproportionate share of its budget each year on public education, thereby straining other critical community needs such as public safety, community quality, and economic development while at the same time contributing to the pressure to increase taxes on citizens who already bear an unreasonably high tax burden; and WHEREAS, the JLARC study also revealed that the State Highway Maintenance Fund is underfunded, that over forty percent of Virginia's bridges are in need of repair or rehabilitation, and that construction funds will be insufficient to pay for highway projects identified as legislative priorities over the next ten years; and WHEREAS, the above findings were shared with the Virginia First Cities Coalition (the "Coalition"), and a work plan was developed by the Coalition to seek redress from the state; and WHEREAS, the funding for education and transportation in the amendments proposed for the FY 01-02 (current year) and FY 03-04 state budgets will result in significant negative impacts and impede the economic viability of all localities of the Commonwealth, particularly including urban cities, and of the Commonwealth as a whole; and WHEREAS the proposed Coalition Work Plan includes strategies to address this critical underfunding; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia: 1. That the City endorses the efforts of the Coalition to cause the state to work in collaboration with all localities, including urban cities, to adopt and implement comprehensive structural changes to the relationship between the state and its localities, most urgently concerning adequate funding for public education and transportation; 2. That the City endorses the work plan of the Coalition, which includes the following elements: a. Working with the Governor and his administration to develop an urban strategy that responds to the urgent needs of urban cities by redesigning the state-local relationship to balance service responsibilities with revenue capacity, and to change the tax structure and other revenue controls so as to recognize new economic opportunities for the state and localities; b. Working with the Governor and General Assembly to provide adequate state funds to cities for education and transportation programs; c. Supporting state legislation which provides local flexibility in the generation of additional revenue for regional transportation improvements and the use of VDOT funds for proper maintenance of urban streets in parity with those in non-urban areas; d. Implementing strategies of public outreach to enhance the public's understanding of the underfunding, and obtaining support for immediate action for reform; and e. Examining and pursuing other appropriate means, up to and including the study of