Minutes 09/13/2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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September 13. 2011 "RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF RESTORATION OF STATE FUNDING FOR AID TO LOCALITIES. WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia's financial assistance for mandated and high priority programs, including public education, health and human services, public safety and constitutional officers, is $800 million less in FY 2012 than in FY 2009; and WHEREAS, cities and counties must balance their budgets during a time in which future state assistance is unreliable, federal stimulus dollars are dwindling, and real estate assessments are declining; and WHEREAS, the current Appropriations Act contains $60 million in across-the- board cuts to cities and counties for both FY11 and FY12, under which localities are required to either elect to take reductions in particular state aid programs, or pay the Commonwealth an amount of money as determined by the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget; and WHEREAS, the reductions are applied to essential services, including law enforcement, jail administration, foster care and child protection services, election administration and social services; and WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth does not have the authority to unilaterally decide to discontinue providing certain services, such as election administration, or to refuse to house and care for State prisoners in local and regional jails; and WHEREAS, the state budget cuts are not accompanied by any reductions in state-imposed mandates, standards and service requirements, nor do they provide any administrative flexibility for local agencies; and WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth remitted $1,161,163 in FY 2011 and will be required to remit another $1,155,369 in FY 2012; and WHEREAS, cities and counties will have provided the State with $220 million by the close of FY 2012 in order to pay for essential and/or mandated functions and programs that the General Assembly now requires that localities fund; and WHEREAS, these reductions shift State costs for essential services to local taxpayers and therefore indirectly impose additional taxes on citizens; and WHEREAS, the Commonwealth's cost shifting has artificially inflated the Virginia's budget surplus; and WHEREAS, State revenues have also begun to recover, and the Governor has announced a significant revenue surplus for the second year in a row; and WHEREAS, revenue collections for the City of Portsmouth continue to reflect the struggling economic climate; and WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia should not shift its share of the costs for mandates and responsibilities to local governments. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia that it hereby requests that Governor Robert McDonnell submit a budget amendment in the 2012 session of the General Assembly to reverse the $60 million-a- year reduction for FY 2012, and to eliminate the aid to localities reduction in the budget submitted for FY 2013 and FY 2014; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council requests that the members of the General Assembly support a budget amendment in the 2012 session of the General Assembly to reverse the $60 million-a-year reduction for the current year, FY 2012, and to eliminate the aid to localities reduction in the budget submitted for FY 2013 and FY 2014.