Greenville leaders last week presented the city’s legislative initiatives to the area’s local legislative representatives for the May 16 State Legislature short session.
Sen. Louis Pate, a Republican, and Democratic Reps. Marian McLawhorn and Edith Warren heard from Mayor Allen Thomas, Interim City Manager Thomas Moton and City Attorney David Holec, who researched and drafted the initiatives for the city.
The city’s 2012 initiatives, adopted by the City Council April 12, are:
■Retention of the transportation fund equity formula to assure that eastern North Carolina transportation needs are addressed: The formula, created in 1989, requires that State Transportation Improvement Program funds be distributed equitably among regions of the state.
The Equity Formula has allowed areas of North Carolina which are not within major urban population centers of North Carolina to address critical transportation improvement projects, Holec said.
There have been proposals to adjust the equity formula which are anticipated to adversely impact the eastern region, including Greenville, Holec said.
■Preservation of municipal revenue sources: In past legislative short sessions, proposals were considered which involved transferring municipal revenue sources to state revenue sources, Holec said.
“Cities are reliant upon these revenue sources, such as portions of the sales tax, to provide services to their citizens. This initiative, also submitted by the city last year, is to ensure that those revenue sources aren’t diverted to balance the budget, which has happened in the past,” Holec said.
There has been talk in Raleigh, for example, of reforming the municipal privilege license fee formula, an important source of local revenues, he said. If so, cities, would be required to either increase revenues or reduce services provided to citizens.
“If there is reform, there must be measures to make sure cities’ authority is protected, or at least for them to be held harmless,” Holec said.
■Preservation or enhancement of existing authorities to enter into public-private partnerships: House Speaker Thom Tillis established the House Select Committee on Public-Private Partnerships to examine the appropriate authority and methods for state, regional, and local governments to engage in regulated public-private partnerships.
“This is funding that governments at all levels need to engage in a consistent, predictable process for public-private partnerships so the private sector can dedicate substantial time and resources to develop economic projects,” Holec said.
Public-private partnerships have been successfully used by cities in the state to facilitate development and create employment. An example in Greenville is the partnership which resulted in the Greenville Convention Center and the improvements to the Hilton hotel, Holec said.
■Continuation or expansion of state funding of statewide and regional organizations that assist in economic development efforts: In a recent address to government and business leaders, Gov. Beverly Perdue said local entities must think regionally to produce the most effective economic development policies. With assistance from regional organizations like North Carolina’s Eastern Region Economic Development Partnership and The North Carolina Rural Center, municipalities have an opportunity to effectively plan for their economic future growth with an eye on regional connectivity.
The Rural Center has a focus on job-creation programs and receives funding from the state. North Carolina’s Eastern Region Economic Development Partnership previously received state funding on a recurring basis as a component of the state budget.
The city has received assistance from both organizations in funding, and the Eastern Region partnership has served as a resource for the city for assistance in recruiting business and providing advice on structuring economic development initiatives. Continued, and possibly expanded, state funding of these organizations will promote economic development, Holec said.
(Daily Reflector)
By Michael Abramowitz
Monday, May 7, 2012
