The County Commissioners Association of Missouri (CCAM) has requested that we publish the following press release dated January 27. 2010.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO DESCEND ON THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING CITING AN UNFAIR PARTNERSHIP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jefferson City, Missouri, Jan.27, 2010 – The County Commissioners Association of Missouri (CCAM) is very disappointed that the “Restore The Partnership” campaign with the State of Missouri appears to be a one-sided affair promoted by the counties. “The campaign certainly does not seem to be a joint effort with state government when the state continues to balance its budget on the backs of the counties,” says CCAM President and Iron County Presiding Commissioner Terry Nichols. “How can we ‘Restore The Partnership’ while the state continues to increase unfunded mandates, erode local control and the local tax base, and prevent the counties from upgrading 9-1-1 emergency services – to name a few critical issues facing county government?”
Hoping not to incite any ill will, but rather to engage in productive dialogue, 330 county commissioners will descend on the State Capitol Building on Thursday, Feb. 4, to hold a rally in the 1st floor Rotunda at 9:30 a.m. The commissioners are doing this in conjunction with their 27th Annual Training Session at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City.
Of prime concern to the commissioners is that counties be “held harmless” this session. “County government isn’t a high-profile news story,” says Nichols. “We don’t get the same play in the press as education, health care, or other issues. The public’s perception is that county governments simply collect taxes. But people should know that what we do touches so many aspects of their lives.
“People should understand that counties have major law enforcement responsibilities, which involve the sheriffs’ departments in jail operations, emergency management, and homeland security procedures.
“They should know that counties are responsible for one of the largest off-system (non-state) road and bridge networks in the nation, with over 73,000 miles of roads and almost 14,000 bridges, and that counties are responsible for property tax assessment, tax collection and distribution of funds to schools,
cities, and other political subdivisions, as well as being charged with conducting all state and local elections.
“And it should be noted that counties contribute significantly to the daily operation of the state court system, including local prosecution of state crimes, juvenile care and detention, public defender obligations, and the incarceration of state prisoners,” argues Nichols.
“But, it is usually only during times of emergency situations such as when an ice storm or a flood occurs that people turn to us, the heads of the government that is closest to them. We are the ones they see every day in their grocery stores, at their gas stations, and on the streets of their hometowns. And, we are the ones who suffer along with them when the state cuts our funding or passes along an unfunded mandate.”
While appreciating the gravity of the state's financial situation, the point is that enough money is simply not coming through the appropriations process and counties are struggling statewide.
What other alternatives are there, ask county commissioners? Some are even wondering if they can just simply refuse to house state prisoners in county jails or if they should campaign ferociously against any ballot measure that negatively impacts the local tax base.
President Nichols hopes for another alternative: that the legislators will listen to the commissioners’ plea when they march to the Capitol, and that Governor Nixon, as well as the House and Senate leadership, will be more receptive this session to building a partnership with their counties – a very essential “arm of state government.”
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HermannHearsay caught up with Gasconade County Northern District Commissioner Matt Penning at his home in Hermann this evening. When asked to comment on this press release from CCAM, Mr. Penning told us ... "I support what the CCAM is trying to do 100%! If the State of Missouri wants to hand down mandates to the counties, then they should give us the money to fund these mandates. Instead they force us to raise money from county taxpayers to pay for the programs which they mandate. Something has to be done!"
HermannHearsay attempted to contact Southern District Commissioner Jerry Lairmore and Presiding Commissioner Ron Jost for their comments, but we were unable to reach them prior to the publishing deadline for this story.
Clark Kant
Editor In Chief
HermannHearsay.blogspot.com
