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299 <br /> <br />Ms. Daugherty thanked Ms. Garvey and Ms: Van Yahres for their efforts. <br /> <br />RESOLUTION: SUPPORTING PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS <br /> <br /> Mr. O'Connell said that the City has been asked by the Virginia Municipal League <br />and State Chamber of Commerce to support constitutional amendments #3 and #4. Mr. <br />O'Connell said that he believes the amendments will provide new regional tools for local <br />government, will promote shared resources, and will help with job creation and <br />increasing the regional tax base. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards said she is very supportive of the constitutional amendments and is <br />sorry that groups have opposed them. Ms. Richards said she feels the amendments can <br />help taxpayers keep taxes low. Ms. Richards said that the State will need to develop <br />parameters if the amendments are adopted and she feels local officials should be involved <br />on any joint boards created as a result of the amendments. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said he sees good possibilities in the future, such as possible <br />developments at Zion's Crossroads, and such amendments would allow for a more <br />equitable sharing of resources. Mr. Caravati made a motion to approve the resolution <br />supporting constitutional amendments #3 and #4. b/Ir. Toscano seconded the motion and <br />the resolution was approved by the following vote. Ayes: Mr. Caravati, Mr. Cox, Ms. <br />Daugherty, Ms. Richards, Mr. Toscano. Noes: None. <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, a competitive and global economy demands that local governments <br />work together to seize opportunities for high wage employment and continued prosperity; <br />and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, research shows that when localities work together as a region the <br />entire region is more economically vibrant; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, Virginia's system of local government has serious structural barriers <br />to multi-jurisdictional cooperation in economic development that make it difficult for <br />cities, counties and town to respond quickly and cooperatively to opportunities; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, regions in other states do not have these barriers, which puts <br />Virginia's local governments and regions at a competitive disadvantage; and <br /> <br /> WHERE~AS, Virginia localities need to increase opportunities to expand the local <br />tax base with new self-supporting industrial and economic development which hbring <br />jobs and employment to the area; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, citizens benefit when localities work together to share the risks and <br />benefits of economic growth, with resources used efficiently, and development directed <br />to areas within the region where growth is desirable and infrastructure exists; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, currently the costs and benefits of economic development may be <br />distributed across a region haphazardly, with one jurisdiction reaping benefits at the cost <br />of new schools and services in a nearby community; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, in some parts of the Commonwealth economic development cannot <br />occur at all unless the local governments have easy and reasonable ways to pool <br />resources for a regional effort; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, amendments #3 and #4 allow counties to use the same powers that <br />most cities and town can now use to enter into growth sharing agreements in a region; <br />and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, these amendments preserve the current accountability of elected <br />officials to the people of the Commonweakh; and legislation will be introduced in the <br />1999 General Assembly to ensure that any special governing body will be entirely <br />composed of local elected officials; and <br /> <br /> <br />