Georgia County Government - October 2008 - (Page 97) Feature ACCG Staff Attends National Conference of State Legislatures Summit impact on Georgia. For example, at least three ssociation County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) recently sent polseminars focused on transportation funding, icy staff members Matthew Hicks, property tax reform and droughts—all topAshley Meggitt and Michele NeSmith to ics that were identified as the top priorities for attend the legislative summit for the National ACCG during the 2008 legislative session. Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) in Staff members also were able to take adNew Orleans from July 22-25. NCSL is a vantage of tours offered during the conferbipartisan organization that serves the legence. Matthew Hicks took a first-hand look islators and staffs of the nation’s 50 states, its at the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New commonwealths and territories. This orgaOrleans through a tour of the city’s locks and nization provides research, technical assislevees system. On the tour, he met members tance and opportunities for policymakers to of the United States Army Corps of Engineers exchange ideas on pressing state issues. that were directly responsible for responding to the natural disaster and repairing the The purpose of the legislative summit was damaged levees. Hicks also toured the Lower to provide state governments and staff with State Sen. Don Balfour currently Ninth Ward and other parts of the city that information and resources on hot topics that serves as president elect of NCSL. He is the first Georgian are currently being discussed in numerous to be elected to office since the still are economically devastated and recovstates. The summit also was an opportunity Conference was founded in 1975. ering from the hurricane. He said only the for the members of the 12 NCSL standing tour could help him appreciate the magnicommittees to debate and work on their policy platforms. These tude of the disaster and understand the public policy issues faccommittees serve in the same capacity as the ACCG policy ing New Orleans and Louisiana’s leadership. committees except that instead of creating a platform to presIn addition to the many seminars and tours that were ofent to the state government, these committees work to create a fered, NCSL also provided several general sessions. These sessions had prominent speakers who debated a variety of issues platform to present to the federal government. that were relevant to both state and local Although NCSL is a state organization, governments. Mayor Michael Bloomberg it provides a variety of seminars on topics that are of interest to county governments. and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, co-chairs with California Governor Arnold During the four-day conference, more than 150 policy sessions were offered ranging from Schwarzenegger of Building America’s public safety, health care and ways to deal Future Coalition, discussed the urgent need with a drought in your state, to property tax for $1.6 trillion over a five-year period to reverse the deterioration of America’s roads, reform and transportation funding. Not only did these sessions afford the attendees the opbridges and highways. They emphasized the opportunity to use infrastructure investportunity to learn how other states have dealt with these issues, they also provided an opment as an economic stimulus that could portunity to network with many nationally benefit the entire nation during this economic downturn. Newt Gingrich, former known experts. Due to the sheer volume of courses offered, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, ACCG staff concentrated on those topics that and Lee Hamilton, director of the Woodrow were the most relevant to county governments— Wilson International Center for Scholars tax and budget policy, economic development, and former congressman, discussed ways to improve healthcare, education and the transportation funding, open records requirements, drought and energy issues, and healthenvironment. Fred Krupp, president of the care. It was very interesting to see how many of the topics that were being offered had a direct NCSL continued on page 98 A At least three seminars focused on transportation funding, property tax reform and drought—all topics that were identified as the top priorities for ACCG during the 2008 legislative session. OCTOBER 2008 www.accg.org 97 http://www.accg.org
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