A focus on transportation funding, support for forest management and immigration reform were a handful of topics the Coconino County Board of Supervisors advocated on behalf of during the National Association of Counties (NACO) Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. this week.
County officials also met with Arizona’s Congressional Delegation to discuss the County’s federal legislative priorities. Specifically, the County joined others in advocating for full funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program.
Under the program, the County receives compensation for the amount of federal land within the County that is not taxable. Those funds are utilized for road maintenance, solid waste disposal, law enforcement and public health.
“The County is concerned about the continued efforts in Congress to not reauthorize and fund key programs for counties,” County Board of Supervisors Vice-Chair Mandy Metzger said. “Funding such as PILT allows counties to provide critical services for our citizens. These funds are not subsidies and only help pay for a small portion of the services that counties are mandated by the federal government to provide. Our advocacy is key to ensuring our national leaders understand the importance of this funding for the County and our citizens.”
The County also discussed the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act (SRS). Through SRS, the County receives more than $4 million to fund roads, schools and search and rescue efforts.
“As we look to address some of our long-term infrastructure needs, such as transportation, SRS is an important part of this discussion,” County Supervisor Liz Archuleta said. “We need Congress to understand that due to the size, geography and land make-up of our county, these federal programs are the life blood of our counties.”
In addition, the County was asked to participate in a focus group spearheaded by NACo President Linda Langston to discuss Ready and Resilient Counties. Supervisor Archuleta presented the County’s ongoing work in the Schultz Flood as an example of resiliency during a disaster.
Transportation and the re-authorization of the current transportation bill, MAP-21, was a main focus during the Washington trip.
The County and NACo each support measures designed to provide a sustainable revenue stream for transportation within the County and on tribal lands, in addition to dedicated funding for school bus routes in our tribal communities.
“Increasing tribal road maintenance funding and providing the tribes with the opportunity and flexibility to maintain their roads is a win-win for all,” County Supervisor Lena Fowler said. “We appreciate the time our Congressional delegation provided to understand this issue, as well as all of our county priorities.”
During agency meetings, the County relayed their support for opening up concessionaire agreements to ensure local governments are compensated for financial impacts from large federal projects and operations. Specifically, county officials met with National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis to discuss necessary legislative changes to address the needs of gateway communities.
The County will continue to work with our federal partners and Arizona’s Congressional Delegation on these and other priorities important to our citizens.