Two county supervisors testified this week before Senate Committees urging a stronger partnership between federal and county governments, and more financial resources to promote economic opportunity. One week after meeting with the board of the Western Interstate Region at NACo’s annual conference, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Mary Landrieu (D- Louisiana) conducted a hearing on leveraging America’s resources to generate revenue and jobs. The committee focused on the need to reauthorize and fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Secure Rural Schools and Payment in Lieu of Taxes, all of which have expired or will expire in the near future. Revenue sharing from oil, gas, and mineral exploration, forestry, and federal land use are major concerns to both Chair Landrieu and the ranking Republican on the committee, Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).
While Charlotte Randolph, President of Lafourche Parish in Virginia, was testifying on revenue sharing from public lands, Bath County, Virginia Supervisor Claire A. Collins appealed to the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee for the federal government to strengthen ties to rural communities. Supervisor Collins emphasized that state and local governments are bearing more of the costs of infrastructure and public improvements and the federal government must have policies, program tools, and flexibility to help these communities. Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Chairman Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey) said he would soon reintroduce legislation called the Livable Communities Act to help states and local governments develop more resilient communities.