State, local lobbyists push to save programs from budget ax

NACo officers met with the editors and writers of The Hill newspaper last Friday. Here's an article they produced as a result, highlighting the fact that counties are arguing to Congress that the scrifice needed to reduce the deficit should be shared across the board - including Medicaid, Medicare and defense programs - and not fall on domestic programs.

Holder supports prevention for youths over courts

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder gave a speech today during the Opening General Session of the 2011 NACo Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. He focused on juvenile justice issues. Media attending the session included CBS News, NBC News, CNN and the Associated Press. Here is the AP story.

NACo Kicks Off Legislative Conference in D.C.

The 2011 NACo Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. kicked off this weekend. Some 1,500 county officials from across the country are participating. The NACo officers got started a few days early. Pictured here are (from the left) NACo 1st VP Lenny Eliason, President Glen Whitley, 2nd VP Chris Rodgers, and Immediate Past President Valerie Brown. They were meeting Thursday with the editors and writers of Governing magazine.

Counties officials to address jobs and economic recovery at NACo Legislative Conference

Jobs and the role of county governments in the economic recovery will be the primary focus for more than 1,300 elected and appointed county officials from around the country participating in NACo's 2011 Legislative Conference, March 5-9, at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.

During the five-day conference, county officials will hear from national leaders, consider policy resolutions on federal issues affecting local government, and meet with administration officials and members of Congress.

Confirmed featured guest speakers include: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder; Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Admiral Mike Mullen; Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan; Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.); House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica; House Natural Resources Committee Chair Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), and MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough.

Dog Puts Victims at Ease in Courtroom

Nice story here in our own County News by staff writer Charlie Ban on a county courthouse dog program which helps young victims cope with the stress of court proceedings.

Local government officials appointed to Obama's oil spill workgroup

Gulf coast county and parish officials remain concerned about the long road ahead to economic and environmental recovery as a result of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In particular, they are concerned about gaining full reimbursement from BP for local tax revenue losses associated with the spill.

American City & County magazine reports on the latest.

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.