12/15/04 - Local Government Coalition
State government will spend the first six months of 2005 focused primarily on developing the state's '06 – '07 biennium budget. There are always two aspects of the budget debate – expenditures and revenues. This year promises to be a particularly challenging year for the following reasons:
- State budget expenditures continue to grow – over 8% in the past biennium
- Medicaid accounts for 40% of the growth
- Estimated $3.8 billion “structural deficit” includes elimination of temporary sales tax and one-time only money like tobacco trust fund money
- Tax reform
- Constitutional amendments
The OLC and other organizations that represent the interests of entities supported by local government funding are working together to preserve state funding. This coalition includes:
- County Commissioners
- Mayors
- Councils
- Public Libraries
- Park Districts
The goal of this coalition is to:
- Assure that no further cuts occur to the three local government funds; Local Government Fund (LGF), Local Government Relief Fund (LGRF), and the Library and Local Government Support Fund (LLGSF)
- Return the local government funds to the permanent law funding formula
- Continue to advance opportunities for local governments to establish partnerships or collaborative efforts that enhance services or reduce casts
This coalition has developed a strategy to educate the public and the Ohio General Assembly about the importance of the local government funds, including:
- Joint lobbying efforts by the trade associations
- County and/or community-wide meetings with local government officials and their state legislators to explain the impact the past three years of budget cuts have had on local governments.
- A media campaign that focuses on editorial boards and government reporters
- Individual association grassroots campaign efforts
- A possible collaborative local government rally at the Statehouse
- Collaborative research on the impact of tax reform proposals
Community Meetings
Members of OLC's Legislative Network are collaborating with the County Commissioners' Association of Ohio (CCAO), the Ohio Municipal League (OML), and the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA) on a coordinated effort to protect Ohio's Local Government and Library Funds in the next year's state biennial budget. The goal of this coalition is to assure that further cuts to the three local government funds will not occur and that the Ohio General Assembly and the governor revert to the permanent law formula allocations for all three local government funds. The three local government funds include: 1) the Local Government Fund (LGF); 2) the Local Government Revenue Assistance Fund (LGRAF); and 3) the Library and Local Government Support Fund (LLGSF).
As part of this collaboration, the county commissioners will lead the charge on several projects while requesting assistance from the other local government entities in their respective parts of the state. These projects include collecting data and providing an impact analysis for the potential reduction or elimination of local government funds as well as hosting a meeting with local elected officials and representatives from each local government entity (county, municipality, township, library, park district).
The purpose of each meeting is to demonstrate to state policy makers the importance of the local government funds to each jurisdiction and the residents they serve. Several of these meetings with local elected officials have occurred across the state with positive results.
For a list of upcoming Local Government Funds – County Meetings, go to http://www.olc.org/news_story010705.asp (Updated 03/07/05)
