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eNews February 18, 2022

eNews: The newsletter of the Virginia Municipal League Friday, February 18, 2022 - 04:42pm

 


This edition of eNews is sponsored by:

We are a professional services firm committed to expanding, enhancing, and preserving the built environment. We are proud to serve our valued clients by helping them solve problems and meet the transportation, energy, program management, and urban infrastructure needs in their communities. Read more >


In this issue:

Budget

  • Sunday is Budget Day!

Finance

  • Grocery tax update

Behavioral Services

  • Bill to require study of local jail fees amended and reported

Local Government Legislation

  • Bill that would prevent weapon bans in government buildings to be heard in Senate committee

VML News

  • Tell VML about your favorite outdoor recreation location in Virginia…and get published!
  • It’s not too late! 7th graders have until March 11 to enter the 2022 “If I Were Mayor” essay contest

Resources & Opportunities

  • A message from Virginia Senator Mark Warner: Infrastructure bill grants and resources now available
  • ICMA Leadership Academy scholarships still available

Budget

Sunday is Budget Day!

Sunday, Feb. 20, is scheduled as the day that the House and Senate budget-writing committees present their proposed amendments to the budgets proposed in mid-December by former Governor Ralph Northam.

We say “scheduled as the day” because last year’s General Assembly threw us all curve ball by delaying the release of the budgets until later in the week. So, while it’s not expected to happen this year, you cannot rule out the possibility of a delay.

The budgets are HB/SB 29 (the current fiscal year budget); and HB/SB 30 (the proposed budget for the 2022-2024 biennium).

How to watch

There are several differences between this week’s Budget Sunday and last week’s Super Bowl Sunday. These differences include the lack of commercials, cheerleaders, and halftime show. However, just like the Super Bowl, you can watch Budget Sunday as it happens!

Budget events are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday when the House Appropriations Committee (HAC) presents its amendments, to be followed by the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee that will meet at 4 p.m.

  • The House Appropriations meeting agenda and meeting link will be listed on the HAC website here >.
  • The Senate Finance & Appropriations meeting agenda and meeting link will be listed on the SFAC website here >.

What to expect

The two committees use a similar format for their Sunday meetings. Each will present their recommendations by subcommittee. The subcommittee reports contain a brief analysis of the issues the panels faced along with a spreadsheet and (sometimes) the budget amendments often referred to as “half-sheets.”

Each subcommittee report is posted to the Committee’s website concurrent with its presentation.

It’s important to note that the subcommittee reports, including any amendments unveiled on Sunday, are not the final word for each committee. Any amendment could be modified or dropped, or new amendments not included in Sunday’s subcommittee reports could emerge when the full details of all amendments are posted. If the two committees follow long-established precedent, then the official half-sheets will not be released until Tuesday. The official budget amendments will be available online.

On Thursday, the House and Senate will debate, vote, and ratify their amendment packages.

After each chamber approves their budget amendment package – and rejects the package proposed by the other chamber – the senior members of the money committees hold a budget conference to reconcile the spending and policy differences. The conference report typically comes together close to the end of the Session (adjournment is scheduled for March 12); both chambers must approve the conference report.

The bottom line

We have a long way to go before state budget development concludes. Stay vigilant! Your help will be needed (and much appreciated).

VML contacts:  Josette Bulova (jbulova@vml.org); Carter Hutchinson (chutchinson@vml.org); Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org; Mitchell Smiley, msmiley@vml.org

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Finance

Grocery tax update

HB90 (McNamara) and SB451 (Boysko) reflect attempts by leaders in the Senate and House to shield localities from budget cuts that would be caused by eliminating groceries from the sales tax base.

With differing approaches, the House of Delegates and the Senate have proposed sending replacement funds back to localities to supplant the revenue the General Assembly would be removing. Will localities be held truly harmless by this General Assembly action? The devil will be in the details of how the General Assembly proposes to replace the revenue.

Below are examples of the growing budget needs that exist across every Virginia locality, compared to sales taxes as source of local revenues. For localities large and small, a faulty revenue replacement scheme by the General Assembly could mean cuts to public services like law enforcement and public education or increases to local property taxes to account for the funding loss from the state.

The method the General Assembly chooses to replace local revenue must be dependable, particularly for smaller localities, if local budgets will truly be held harmless.

VML will continue to encourage the General Assembly and Governor to protect local government funding from cuts caused by eliminating sales taxes on groceries.

City of Winchester (2021)
One Percent Local S/U Revenue 10,834,790
Police Budget 8,664,279
Fire & Rescue Budget 8,410,675
Total Education Budget 64,901,684
State K12 Categorical Aid 29,659,511
One Percent State S/U K12 Revenue 4,935,233
City of Lynchburg (2021)
One Percent Local S/U Revenue 18,586,355
Police Budget 22,822,095
Fire & Rescue Budget 19,245,531
Total Education Budget 115,589,465
State K12 Categorical Aid 59,287,451
One Percent State S/U K12 Revenue 12,081,495
Albermarle County (2021)
One Percent Local S/U Revenue 19,806,666
Police Budget 20,280,741
Fire & Rescue Budget 26,032,697
Total Education Budget 206,643,338
State K12 Categorical Aid 60,382,670
One Percent State S/U K12 Revenue 17,747,379
Henrico County (2021)
One Percent Local S/U Revenue 75,612,539
Police Budget 82,218,706
Fire & Rescue Budget 78,329,798
Total Education Budget 585,618,013
State K12 Categorical Aid 315,850,591
One Percent State S/U K12 Revenue 60,554,370
Richmond County (2021)
One Percent Local S/U Revenue 1,694,045
Sheriff’s Budget 1,379,304
Fire & Rescue Budget 1,161,957
Total Education Budget 15,984,956
State K12 Categorical Aid 9,848,999
One Percent State S/U K12 Revenue 1,305,824
City of Virginia Beach (2021)
One Percent Local S/U Revenue 78,732,948
Police Budget 104,803,893
Fire & Rescue Budget 82,995,916
Total Education Budget 858,486,049
State K12 Categorical Aid 396,103,494
One Percent State S/U K12 Revenue 79,847,943
Loudoun County (2021)
One Percent Local S/U Revenue 90,053,162
Sheriff’s Budget 72,285,510
Fire & Rescue Budget 115,356,208
Total Education Budget 1,416,774,492
State K12 Categorical Aid 411,976,584
One Percent State S/U K12 Revenue 94,077,514

VML Contact: Carter Hutchinson, chutchinson@vml.rog

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Behavioral Services

Bill to require study of local jail fees amended and reported

Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services reported on a split vote a substitute to HB1053 (Shin), which conforms the bill to SB581 (Morrissey) previously approved by the Committee and by the Senate.

As amended, the bill directs the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to convene a workgroup to review and make recommendations regarding the reduction or elimination of costs and fees charged to inmates in local or regional correctional facilities to defray the costs of an inmate’s keep, work release, or participation in educational or rehabilitative programs; to use telephone services; to purchase items or services from stores or commissaries; to use electronic visitation systems; and any other items deemed relevant by the Board. The workgroup would include all relevant stakeholders on the issue and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Public Safety and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by Oct. 1, 2022.

As introduced, the bill would have eliminated certain fees imposed by local and regional jails. As approved by the House, it would allow the legislative members of the workgroup to appoint the non-legislative members of that workgroup. VML prefers the workgroup approach and prefers the language of the Senate substitute regarding the workgroup members because it opens the workgroup membership up to more potential participants.

Meanwhile, Morrissey’s SB581 was approved by the Senate and awaits assignment to a House committee.

VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org

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Local Government Legislation

Bill that would prevent weapon bans in government buildings to be heard in Senate committee

HB827 (Wilt), which removes local government authority to ban weapons in government buildings, is to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It currently has the same language as SB74 (Chase) which was rejected by the same committee earlier in the session. There will be a substitute. VML opposes the bill as written.

The bill has three parts: 1. Requires any gun-buy back effort to offer the guns to dealers so the same guns will go back into circulation; 2. Removes current authority of local governments to ban weapons in their government buildings; and 3. Blocks localities from suing gun manufacturers for harm caused by the guns they manufactured.

VML Contact: Mark Flynn, markkflynn@gmail.com

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VML News

Tell VML about your favorite outdoor recreation location in Virginia…and get published!

For our 2022 “Virginia You Love” magazine issue this summer we want our readers to tell us their perfect place to have fun outside. It could be a favorite hiking trail or the stadium bleachers of the hometown ball team. Perhaps you can be found in a mountain lake with family or at the dog park with your furry friend. Maybe you like the challenges of long fairways and fast greens or the peace and quiet of a bench under a shady tree. Vita courses, ropes courses, pump tracks, brewery decks…Wherever, whatever, we want to hear about it!

Have your place featured in our magazine!

If you tell us about your favorite place for outdoor fun, we will put it on the list of possible places to feature in the July/August issue of Virginia Town & City. You can nominate any place you like…just so long as it’s outdoors and in Virginia.

It’s super easy to participate

Learn more and complete the short online survey here >.

VML Contact: Manuel Timbreza, mtimbreza@vml.org

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It’s not too late! 7th graders have until March 11 to enter the 2022 “If I Were Mayor” essay contest

The Virginia Municipal League (VML) invites all eligible Virginia 7th Graders to join its “If I were Mayor” essay contest.

Regional winners selected from around the state will each receive a $150 gift card and a plaque. One statewide winner chosen from the regional winners will receive a $250 gift card and a plaque. The runner-up from the region that receives the statewide award will become that region’s winner.

Winning essays will be featured in the May issue of VML’s magazine Virginia Town & City.

Learn more here >.

VML Contact: Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org

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Resources & Opportunities

A message from Virginia Senator Mark Warner: Infrastructure bill grants and resources now available

Friends,

You may have heard about our bipartisan infrastructure bill – it’s a once-in-a-generation investment in roads, bridges, broadband, airports, electric vehicle charging stations and more. It’s going to be transformative for Virginia, and I’m proud to have brokered the compromise that got it done.

The coming months and years are going to be critical as we make sure that Virginia is poised to collect every dollar available to us. While the majority of all infrastructure funding will be delivered automatically to states and localities, the bill also approves dozens of competitive grant programs for important infrastructure projects to receive additional assistance.

If you’re interested in receiving more communication about these opportunities from my office, sign up for updates here by checking “Infrastructure Funding” under subscription options.

In short, all of this means that Virginia’s localities and stakeholders will soon have the opportunity to apply and compete for millions of dollars in federal infrastructure dollars.

That’s why I’m reaching out to you to let you know that I’ve compiled a page with resources and grant opportunities, which you can find here. It includes a detailed due date calendar and plenty of grant information so that you can see all the options available to you.

Among other things, the site:

  • Visualizes application due dates with an interactive calendar, allowing users to better track deadlines.
  • Filters grants by federal agency, allowing users to better locate grants that fit their needs.
  • Enables users to easily request a letter from the Senator in support of a grant application.
  • Provides a snapshot look at the funding that is already making its way to Virginia, and allows users to view in detail how that funding will be distributed and utilized throughout the Commonwealth.

There are quite literally millions of dollars that Virginia is eligible for – money for things like roads, broadband, and local projects of all types – and I want to make sure we’re getting our fair share. Take a minute to look through this page and see if there are grants you might be eligible for – these have the potential to be transformative for Virginia.

I’m looking forward to seeing Virginia benefit from these investments over the next decade. My office stands ready to help ensure that Virginia can take full advantage of this historic investment.

Contact: Zack Golden, State Director – U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner, Zack_Golden@warner.senate.gov

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ICMA Leadership Academy scholarships still available

Join the nearly 600 cities around the country already benefiting from the effectiveness of the ICMA Leadership Academy the 12-week, online leadership program developed by the late General Colin Powell.

Enroll in 2022!

Our April Cohort is right around the corner. Join us in investing in the city workforce – empowering them to become better leaders today and into the future.

Learn more and enroll here >.

We would also like to acknowledge and congratulate the Virginia cities who have graduates from our programs:

  • Alexandria
  • Colonial Beach
  • Danville
  • Emporia
  • Harrisonburg
  • Manassas
  • Purcellville
  • Richmond
  • Round Hill
  • Virginia Beach

About the ICMA Leadership Academy

Developed by the late General Colin Powell, the Professional Development Academy and ICMA, the High-Performance Leadership Academy is an online 12-week program that helps your workforce develop fundamental, practical leadership skills to deliver results for counties and our residents.

ICMA Leadership Academy Contact: Grant More, grantm@pdaleadership.com

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Comments and questions about this website or the data provided may be addressed to Manuel Timbreza
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Virginia Municipal League
P.O. Box 12164, Richmond, VA 23241
13 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219
804-649-8471

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