Counties to government: Careful when cutting deficit

NACo leadership has sent letters to President Obama and Congress cautioning them not to focus exclusively on domestic spending as they work toward addressing the deficit.

The letters outlined four key points counties are urging the president and Congress to consider while addressing the deficit:

• The budget deficit cannot be resolved by only cutting domestic, non-military discretionary programs;
  
• Federal assistance to state and local governments will help mitigate further layoffs;
  
• Federal investment in state and local infrastructure produces private sector jobs; and
  
• Deficit reduction should not be accomplished by shifting costs to counties, imposing unfunded mandates, or preempting county programs or taxing authority.

News of the NACo letters were reported by Lisa Lambert of Reuters.