Minutes 12/13/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Attach....nt 11 M Martinsville Transportation ... . Pasl General Assemblies have made clear their Intention to bring four-lane highway transportation ak>ng Virginia's southern border in an effort 10 improve commercial and private transportation between the Commonwealth's ports and its major western interstate highways. As that effort has run short of funding as Ihe project grows nearer completion, we ask thai Ihe 2006 General Assembly fulfill Virginia's commitment 10 c?mplete four"'an~ng ~.S: Route 58 from east to west at feast to its intersection wllh Interstale 77 In HllIsvtlle, whether through full funding Of through public.private partnership, whichever allows for swifter completion.. . ., The United States' Dwight D. Eisenhower Interstate System IS Amenca s preferred method for the transportatton of goods and . raw materials. As federal and state funds become availa~e for conslructing VIrginia's Interstate 73, we assert the Commonwealth's best interests are met by beginning right of way acquisition. planning and construction at the borders to meet highway construction already compIeled and underway in neighboring slates. Recent increases in petroleum product costs crittc31 to road construclion will decrease paving activily without additional state funding for urban road maintenance and construction. We urge the General Assembly to conSIder k>calities' signifICant cost increases of raw materials and fuel when craftin~ the 2006-08 biennial budget, and increase highway maintenance funds accordIngly Also, we believe the Commonwealth should increase funds available for urban bridge repair and maintenance to meet the needs of cities facing aging Iransportation infrastructure. City of Martinsville Legislalive Priorilies & Policies for the 2006 Virginia General Assembly legislators The City of Martinsville congratulates lhe memb~rs of the House of Oelegat~s for Iheir reelection to the House. We appreciate their past efforts on beha" 01 thiS council and its residents, and look fOfWard to continuing work with lite House members and wrlh Senator Roscoe Reynolds over the next two years. continuing efforts to make Martinsville a better place to live, woril and thrive. To thai end. the City administration has prepared, and Martinsville ~ity Coundl has approved, the following guidance of the city's legislalive pOOfilies and principles for the 2006 Virginia General Assembly Session Education The most important way both to attract new industries and to prepar~ a WC>f'k.force for empklyment is to make available the best pre-K-12 edu.calton, followed by post.secondary education including the ready availablhty of certiftcate, two-year and four-year degrees. The City Council of Martinsville supports stale initiati~es leading to lull fundi.ng of the Commonwealth's primary and secondary educatIon Stand~rds of Quality, as well as any funding assistance and in~entives necess.ary to maintaIn a leacher workforce Qualified and dedicated 10 raIsing student achievement to a level of full competency on Standards of Learning. . We desire to strongly support the growth of adull educal~n programs, including graduate equivalency courses and .testlng, certlflcatlon programs through Virginia's community colleges, and Job .placement gUidance anu assistance by those institutions providing aduH education. We support the continued growth of education and research programs and facilities at Patrick Henry Community College and lhe Virginia Museum of Natural History. One of our most important goals is the immediate cha0er, funding, establishment and construction of a baccalaureate degree-granhng, full-time, residential public college or university in Martinsville or Henry County, serving all of Southside Virginia with the goal of graduating its first full class no later than May 2010. We have pledged, and sland by our pledge, to pa~ uP. to .$1 milhon (in cash or in.kind services) to establish infrastructure for a slate mslttutlon approved by the end of Ihe 2006 General Assembly Session. Economic Development To spur new growth by induslrial, service and retail clients, Virginia must keep in place and continue to increase funding for its strong, nat,?~ally rec?gn~zed system for attracting and providing incenlives to companies WillIng to bnng Jobs and capital investment to Virginia. The City of Martinsville and surrounding areas have greatly benefited from the generosity of the Governor's Opportunity Fund. The City supports the increased growth of the GOF, and encourages the General Assembly to est.abll~h grea.ter incentives to foster full competition with other states, generating IOd.ustnal, manufacturing and services industry support jobs in areas of VirginIa WIllI persistenlly low employment rates. . Due 10 our proximity to North Carolina, our area has lost Jobs and opportunity to that state when economic development prospects have been available. We must remain competitive by providing incentives and. maintaining. personal contacts on the state and local levels. We encourage addllional finanCial support for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, including a strong focus on attracting new companies and existing clients to areas with a high concentration of unemployed workers. Taxation and State Spending As the General Assembly will deal with a surplus of state funds. we urge the assem?ly to ~xamin~ sLate needs in transportation, public education, higher education, SOCial services and economic development and determine how besllo use those funds before lowering tax rates or eliminating some forms of taxation. The Crly urges the General Assembly to carefully study any property lax rehcf propo~~1 for Ioog- ~nd s!wrt-term negative effects on municipal budgets and debt cap~c~tl~.. The City philosophically opposes state restriclions on the abilily of munICIpalitIes to determine levels of taxahoo and fees needed to provide services ~emanded. by their citizens. We believe the lessons learned by the difficulties ImplementIng the car tax elimination should gutde the General Assembly in this matter. require the requesting body to fully fund the election in which that referen?um is listed. Should any bill be introduced to force a binding referendum on Martlnsvllle or any other city. we will submit a request for legislative amendment 10 include the funding clause. We ask the General Assembly meet its full obligations on HB599 funds designated for public safety in lieu of city annexation rights. We support the efforts of the Virginia First Cities Coalition to express the positions of the Commonwealth's city governments. We ask the General Assembly 10 study and consider the impact on local governments when determining increases in pay, lire insurance and retirement benefrts for constituUonal. law enforcement and state employees. Telecommunications Virginia cities have rights to provide teH!communicaUons services under state and fed,eral law, and the Genera' Assembly should make no effort 10 change, underTmne or redefine those rights untess to increase cjUes' abilities 10 provide Iow-cost utility service to rts citizens. The Ge~ra~ Assembly should not change Virginia's methods for calculating telecommunications taxes and surcharges without making such a change revenue-~eut~l: . Cities must maintain rights-of-way and other public property upon which utilities rely for access to customers, and those utilities should be respon~itNe - through taxes and franch;se fees - for providing funds to perform that malnlenance. Staff Designations Staff members designated by the City Manager are empowered to speak 10 the General Assembly to convey the city's interests in legislation. Communjty Development & Community Services . The City o~ MartinsviUe'~ zoning does nol permit the installation of single- wide. double-wide or othelWlse permanenUy wheeled manufactured housing. The clty opposes eny bill. such as has previously been introduced. that would require the permitted zoning of any such depreciatory housing stock in the city. The City llrongIy supports the continued use 01 Community Development Block Grants es a melhod to reduce urban blight. restore blighted neighl>orlloods and revitalize residential end commercial areas of cities. .~~ens of the Commonwealth deserve re5fX>I1sive community 5ef'Ytces with facilities adequale 10 provide privacy of inlenIiews. records storage and access. We urge the General Assembfy to provide financial assistance to localities in devekJping adequate facilities for social services, employment services, health services and other health and welfare contact points. Local Initiatives. Referenda and Employees The Clly of Martinsville opposes any effort by one local govemmenl to force a binding referendum about any issue on anyolher local government. We believe this is poor policy. setting e poor precedent by removing decision-making euthority vesled In elected officials by voters. If the General Assembly sees rrt 10 force a binding referendum on any government at the request of another, we b&lieve the General Assembly should