2008 General Assembly

VML presses case for full funding of rebenchmarking

Every locality with a school division needs to contact its own senator, delegate and the budget conferees in opposition to the House proposal to change the process for rebenchmarking the costs of education. Conferees are listed below. The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on Saturday.

Here are some points that need to be made:

• Rebenchmarking does not represent any new programs – it simply represents what public education already costs. A decrease in the state commitment to rebenchmarking does not improve school performance or efficiency. Such action simply passes on those costs to local governments and ultimately to real estate taxpayers.
• The House proposal results in the loss of at least $121 million for the biennium in rebenchmarking costs recognized by the state. The full implementation of the amendment would mean a potential loss of an additional $225 million in the next biennial budget, for the years 2010-2012.
• Some members of the legislature have said that local governments fund salary increases for teachers that are too high. The reality is that salaries and salary increases are driven primarily by market forces.
• Local elected officials are no more eager than state legislators to raise taxes, but they have to ensure that there is enough funding available to have teachers in the classroom on the opening day of school. The quality of our public education system depends on reliable funding.
• The long-term effect of the House proposal is to decrease state support for education. The end result is pushing an even greater share of education costs onto local governments, and ultimately to local real estate taxpayers.
• Localities understand that for the upcoming biennium, the House actually puts slightly more state money into K-12 education than the Senate budget. There is no reason, however, to think that this would be the case in 2010-2012, as House members have stated publicly that they want rebenchmarking changed in order to be able to control the cost of education. It is highly doubtful that in 2010-2012 that the state would use the more than $227 million in savings from rebenchmarking for education.

House Budget Conferees
Name	Phone (804)	E-mail	Fax (804)
Kirk Cox	698-1066	DelKCox@house.state.va.us	786-6310
Phil Hamilton	698-1093	DelPHamilton@house.state.va.us	786-6310
Clarke Hogan	698-1060	DelCHogan@house.state.va.us	786-6310
Johnny Joannou	698-1079	NONE	786-6310
Lacey Putney	698-1019	DelLPutney@house.state.va.us	786-6310
Beverly Sherwood	698-1029	DelBSherwood@house.state.va.us	786-6310

Senate Budget Conferees
Name	Phone (804)	E-mail	Fax (804)
Charles J. Colgan	698-7529	district29@sov.state.va.us	698-7651
Edd Houck	698-7517	district17@sov.state.va.us	698-7651
Janet Howell	698-7532	district32@sov.state.va.us	698-7651
Richard Saslaw	698-7535	district35@sov.state.va.us	698-7651
Walter Stosch	698-7512	district12@sov.state.va.us	698-7651
William Wampler	698-7540	district40@sov.state.va.us	698-7651

House budget would harm local law enforcement

VML issued a press release on Wednesday calling for the General Assembly to continue to support state funding for local law enforcement efforts.

Here is the text of that press release:

“The budget being pushed by the House of Delegates could be the start of dismantling a 28-year-old state program that is essential to keeping the public safe in 39 cities, 128 towns and nine counties.

“The budget adopted by the House on Feb. 21 would divert more than $14 million over the next two years that is used primarily by these 176 local governments to put cops on the streets.

“The state provides financial assistance to local police departments through a program known as “599.” Sheriff’s departments are funded under a separate program.

“The “599” program pays for the equivalent of more than 2,600 police officers across the state. About two-thirds of Virginians depend on local police departments and these officers for their safety.

What is ‘599’ funding? The state’s “599” program grew out of legislation passed by the 1979 General Assembly to address two issues: annexation by cities and the modernization of the financial relationship between the state and local governments. Under the provisions of HB 599, a financial assistance program was established for local governments that operated police departments and met certain state law enforcement standards. Previously, the state provided no assistance to local police departments, but it did provide money for counties with sheriff’s departments.

“For example, the city of Newport News would lose nearly $650,000 in the next biennium if the House budget amendments pertaining to the “599” program are adopted. Virginia Beach stands to lose more than $800,000. And Fairfax County, the state’s largest locality, would lose more than $1.7 million. For towns, while the dollar allocations are not as large as those for most cities, they often make the difference between having 24-7 police protection on the street or not.”

“We need more police officers at the very time that the state is cutting funding,” said Blacksburg Town Manager Marc A. Verniel. “This year we’re adding four sworn officers and one communications officer. In order to pay for this, we’re raising the meals tax by one percent. If you don’t think the HB 599 program is important, just look at a town like Blacksburg. It equates to 20 of our 58 sworn officers.”

“Although some portion of the diverted money relates tangentially to law enforcement, the overall effect is an abrupt retreat from a nearly 30-year-old policy of state support for local police. The House proposal was not based on either an executive or legislative study. It was conceived without the benefit of public input.

“The program is currently funded at $205 million a year, which Gov. Tim Kaine recommends freezing for the next two years. The Senate proposed adding $2.5 million each year to the program.

“See how the proposed House budget cuts would harm each of the 176 local governments that receive money under the program" (Excel). contents

VML participates in rebenchmarking press conference

Petersburg Mayor Annie Mickens representing VML, along with Hanover County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman John Gordon representing VACo, spoke on behalf of local governments at a March 3 press conference at the Capitol to explain the importance of rebenchmarking.

Other sponsors of the press conference included the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, the Virginia School Boards Association, the Virginia Education Association, Virginia First Cities, the Virginia PTA and Just Children.

Here are Mickens’ remarks:

“ … We believe the House budget sends two messages. The first is that the state should pay even less than its current share of education costs, and local governments should pick up this reduction by paying an even larger share. Put another way, the Commonwealth should rely more heavily on local real estate taxes to run our schools, and less on state revenues.

The second message is that teachers and other school personnel are paid too much and their salary increases are too big. Neither message is correct. Neither message improves educational performance.

“Let’s look at the first message: What the delegates are saying is that the real estate taxes levied on the homes of hard working Virginians should cover an even larger share of education costs.

“Here are the facts. When you add state and local spending, Virginia ranks 21st in the country in support for public education – just ahead of the middle of the pack. But let’s break down those rankings. Local spending in Virginia ranks 14th in the nation. State spending ranks 33rd. This is simply out of whack. Why would anyone want to make this equation even more lopsided?

“Now about that second message that the House budget sends – that teachers and other school personnel are paid too much. To a large degree, teacher salaries reflect the supply and demand of the marketplace. Also, data gathered by JLARC shows that the raises granted teachers are entirely reasonable. Between 2003 and 2007, per capita income in the state rose by 4.3 percent. During this same time period, Virginia’s teachers received raises averaging 3.4 percent a year. And remember -- that 3.4 percent figure would be a lot lower if it weren’t for local tax dollars.

“Despite what the House is saying, these pay raises are not extravagant or outrageous. They’re reasonable. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just reasonable.

“Right now, Virginia’s top public schools are among the nation’s best. We’ve been able to attract good teachers and administrators that make this possible, and our children and communities are benefiting. By just about every measure, we’ve made substantial progress in public education over the last decade. We can’t continue this progress by shifting even more of the costs of public education onto the backs of real estate taxpayers.

“Pass the proposed House budget and most local governments won’t be able to afford salary increases beyond those set by the state. In the long run, no one benefits from this short-sighted approach. Not the state. Not our businesses. Not our communities. And most of all, not our children.” contents

VDOT publishes allocations by locality for secondary and urban construction programs

The Virginia Department of Transportation has made public the revised allocations for the primary, secondary and urban construction programs.

The new numbers reflect the Commonwealth Transportation Board reductions of $1.1 billion to the Six Year Program because of declining transportation revenues. VDOT Commissioner David Ekern writes that the “reductions will seriously challenge our ability to jointly move projects forward. Localities will have to make difficult decisions as to which projects are advanced in the secondary and urban systems.”

The information is available at http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/syp-default.asp.

The information was released the same day the Virginia Supreme Court rendered its decision on the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority’s unconstitutional imposition and collection of taxes and fees for road construction and transit. contents

Reminder: Sign-up now for ‘Go Green’ forums

Don’t forget that VML will hold four regional forums across the state in April as part of its Go Green Virginia initiative. The forums are an easy, convenient way for local elected officials and professional staff to get up to speed on the issues related to “green government.”

For an increasing number of Virginians, issues related to climate change are important and they expect their local government to do its part to help address the problem. By attending one of the forums, local officials will learn how to do just that.

Cities, towns and counties thinking about “going green” can learn how to start a green initiative – and why it’s important to do so. Local governments with programs already in place can learn how to improve them. Both groups will have access to subject experts during a series of round table sessions.

In addition, the forums will help local governments who want to take the Green Government Challenge, another piece of the Go Green Virginia initiative. By participating in the Challenge, cities, towns and counties can implement specific policies and actions to become a VML-certified “Green Government.” Many of these policies and actions will be discussed at the forums.

Information on the forums, including a registration form, was mailed two weeks ago to all local elected officials, city and town managers, county administrators and executives, and selected clerks. Download registration form.

More information about the forums, including copies of the registration form, is on the Go Green Virginia Web site.

Mark down these dates and locations on your calendar. The forums will be held from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.:

• April 15 in Virginia Beach at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
• April 17 in Fairfax County at the Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks Mall.
• April 22 in Abingdon at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center.
• April 29 in Lynchburg at the James River Conference Center.

We look forward to seeing you there! contents

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