1998_Resolutions - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING • CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS 93 AND #4 Whereas, a competitive and global economy demands that local governments work together to seize opportunities for high wage employment and continued prosperity, and WHEREAS, research shows that when localities work together as a region the entire region is more economically vibrant; and WHEREAS, Virginia's system of local government has serious structural barriers to multi -jurisdictional cooperation in economic development that make it difficult for cities, counties and town to respond quickly and cooperatively to opportunities; and WHEREAS, regions in other states do not have these barriers, which puts Virginia's local governments and regions at a competitive disadvantage; and WHEREAS, Virginia localities need to increase opportunities to expand the local tax base with new self-supporting industrial and economic development which bring jobs and employment to the area; and WHEREAS, citizens benefit when localities work together to share the risks and benefits of economic growth, with resources used efficiently, and development directed • to areas within the region where growth is desirable and infrastructure exists; and WHEREAS, currently the costs and benefits of economic development may be distributed across a region haphazardly, with one jurisdiction reaping benefits at the cost of new schools and services in a nearby community; and WHEREAS, in some parts of the Commonwealth economic development cannot occur at all unless the local governments have easy and reasonable ways to pool resources for a regional effort; and WHEREAS, amendments #3 and #4 allow counties to use the same powers that most cities and town can now use to enter into growth sharing agreements in a region; and WHEREAS, these amendments preserve the current accountability of elected officials to the people of the Commonwealth; and legislation will be introduced in the 1999 General Assembly to ensure that any special governing body will be entirely composed of local elected officials; and WHEREAS, Virginia and its local governments have a long history of fiscal conservatism, and a strong interest in maintaining strong bond ratings, which will be unaffected by the flexibility offered by amendments #3 and #4; and 1]