Counties Connect America Flyer

2016. GET INVOLVED.

2016 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

#countiesconnectUS

OUR NATION’S 3,069 COUNTIES STAND READY TO WORK TOGETHER TO NOT ONLY ENSURE A ROBUST INTERGOVERNMENTAL

PARTNERSHIP, BUT TO ALSO LEVERAGE OUR COLLECTIVE STRENGTHS TO HELP MEET THE CHALLENGES AHEAD.

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COUNTIES ARE A KEY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT—DIRECTLY SERVING THE PEOPLE.

Clear VisionCounties are united behind a clear vision: to foster healthy,

vibrant, safe and resilient communities across America.

Counties of all sizes are problem solvers, able to

adjust their efforts to match local assets and needs.

CollaborationCounties achieve results by

partnering with public, private and philanthropic partners to serve constituents and build strong local economies. As

both global and local challenges arise, counties are poised to

lead, convene and participate in community and economic

development efforts.

ConnectingCounties are the fabric that

connects American civil society – practicing pragmatism over partisanship. County govern-ments were designed to serve

as connectors between the federal and state governments

and constituents on the ground.

COUNTY OFFICIALS, AND ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, RELY ON A CORE SET OF GOVERNING PRINCIPLES AS A FOUNDATION FOR EFFICIENT AND

EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE.

OUR PRINCIPLES

OUR MISSIONThe nation’s 3,069 counties provide fundamental public services that make America’s communities healthier, safer and better places to live and work. They are focused on finding solutions to some of

the country’s most pressing challenges including healthcare, justice and public safety, transportation and infrastructure, environmental stewardship and community and economic development.

WHY COUNTIES MATTER TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Counties are a critical piece of our nation’s federal-state-local intergovernmental system. Decisions made by the President and the Executive Branch have a substantial and often long-lasting impact on our na-

tion’s counties responsible for implementing federal decisions and administering federal programs at the local level. For all levels of government, our common bond is our shared constituency. It is our close

connection to the people that make counties a key partner in the intergovernmental relationship.

In an effort to strengthen the intergovernmental partnership at all levels, NACo has developed the “Counties Connect America” initiative. Over the course of the 2016 presidential campaign cycle, county officials from across the country will be engaging presidential and congressional candidates as they dis-

cuss ways to move this country forward together. NACo will use the “Counties Connect America” initiative to leverage the collective political capital of its membership to provide opportunities for county officials to directly engage presidential and congressional candidates throughout the course of the campaign cycle.

For more information, contact Arthur Scott, NACo Associate Legislative Director, at ascott@naco.org or 202.942.4230

Presidential Candidate Invitation

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

of COUNTIES    Dear [Candidate]:  We look forward to hearing your vision for America’s future as you campaign for President of the United States.  As you begin your campaign, we hope you keep county government in mind while developing your plan to move this country forward. Our nation’s counties stand ready to work together to leverage our collective strengths to help meet the challenges ahead.  Counties are one of America’s oldest forms of government, dating back to 1634 when the first county governments were established in Virginia. County governments continue to evolve and adapt to changing environments and populations. Today, our nation’s 3,069 counties consist of 38,968 elected officials representing over 305 million residents.  Collectively, county governments employ over 3.3 million people and account for $482.1 billion in annual community investments.   The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents all of America’s county governments. NACo assists counties in pursuing excellence in public service to produce healthy, vibrant, safe and resilient counties by promoting sound public policies, fostering county solutions and innovations, and promoting intergovernmental and public‐private collaboration.  County officials are a key partner in our nation’s federal‐state‐local intergovernmental system. Decisions made by the President of the United States and the Executive Branch have a substantial and often long‐lasting impact on our nation’s counties, who are responsible for implementing federal decisions and administering federal programs at the local level.  For all levels of government, our common bond is our shared constituency and it is our close connection to the people that make counties a critical partner in the intergovernmental relationship.    In an effort to strengthen the intergovernmental partnership at all levels, NACo has developed the “Counties Connect America” initiative. Over the course of the 2016 presidential campaign cycle, county officials from across the country will be engaging presidential and congressional candidates as they discuss ways to move this country forward together. We would like to extend to you an invitation to serve as a keynote speaker at any of our national conferences over the course of the election cycle. We hope you will take the opportunity to join thousands of county elected officials from across the country as we work together to build a strong intergovernmental partnership.  NACo events include:  2015 Annual Conference (approx. 3,000 participants) July 10‐13 Charlotte, North Carolina   

NACo

2015 Fall Board Meeting (approx. 150 participants) December 2‐5 Colorado Springs, Colorado  2016 Legislative Conference (approx. 2,500 participants) February 20‐24 Washington, DC  2016 Western Interstate Region Conference (approx. 350 participants) May 25‐27 Jackson Hole, Wyoming  2016 Annual Conference (approx. 3,000 participants) July 22‐25 Long Beach, California  Attached with this invitation you will also find a copy of our “Counties Connect America” flyer containing the initiative’s platform and goals. Thank you for your consideration and our members look forward to engaging your campaign in the coming months. If you have any questions or would like to confirm any of the events listed, please contact Arthur Scott, Associate Legislative Director, at (202) 942‐4230 or ascott@naco.org.    Sincerely,    Matthew Chase Executive Director National Association of Counties  

Candidate Questionnaire

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

of COUNTIES  

Presidential Profile: NACo County News “Know a Candidate” Series  The National Association of Counties (NACo) would like to highlight each Presidential candidate as part of their “Know a Candidate” Series in the NACo County News publication – a bi‐weekly newspaper distributed to over 38,000 readers across the country. This Q&A will be an opportunity for our readers ‐ county leaders from across the country ‐ to learn more about your plan for America. Candidate responses will be printed as written.   

1. Our nation’s 3,069 counties are as unique as they are diverse.  Ranging in size, population, resources, strengths, struggles and opportunities ‐ counties face a unique set of factors while collectively sharing a common goal: to provide a healthy, vibrant and safe community for America’s families. What experience do you have working with local government to achieve these goals and how has that experience helped shape your view on moving this country forward? 

 2. The county role has changed drastically in recent years. Counties must constantly evolve and 

adapt to changing environments and populations. What challenges do you see ahead for our nation’s counties and how do you hope to help address them should you be elected President?   

3. Counties play a key role in the federal‐state‐local intergovernmental system. Decisions made by the President have a substantial and often long‐lasting impact on our nation’s counties, who are responsible for implementing federal decisions and administering federal programs at the local level.  How do you plan to utilize counties within the intergovernmental partnership to help address the challenges facing our nation?   

 Please complete the questionnaire and return to Bev Schlotterbeck, Executive Editor, NACo County News, at bschlott@naco.org. Your replies will be published as written.   

NACo

Why Counties Matter

WHY COUNTIES MATTER!

COUNTIES OWN AND MAINTAIN

45%

COUNTIES INVEST

$52.3 BILLION

in construction of public facilities

annually

COUNTIES OWN

230,690bridges

of America’s roads

IN BUILDING INFRASTRUCTUREAND MAINTAINING AND OPERATING PUBLIC WORKS ANNUALLY

COUNTIES ARE INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION OF

30% of public airports

COUNTIES INVEST

$106.3 BILLION

in 27% of public transit systems

TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURETransportation and infrastructure are critical components that support the economies of our counties and improve the standard of living for all Americans. By providing efficient transportation and transit options such as buses, trains, light rail and subway systems, counties are the driving force connecting communities. Counties invest in building the schools where students learn, the hospitals that treat and provide care to the community and the jails that house and rehabilitate wrongdoers. From cleaning up storm debris and restoring safety to the community to cleaning the water we drink by maintaining reservoirs, purification plants and pumping stations, counties provide the basic services that are often taken for granted.

Services include:Ù TransitÙ RoadsÙ BridgesÙ AirportsÙ Construction of public

facilities

Ù Water and sewage systems

Ù Solid waste management

Ù Utilities like gas and electricity

COUNTIES ARE INVOLVED COUNTIES INVEST

$18.6 BILLION in sewage and solid waste management

annually

HEALTHCARECounties create support systems to keep you healthy from the time you are born until the time you grow old. Many counties operate hospitals and health facilities that provide clinical services, cancer and cardiac care, and emergency and trauma care. County nursing homes offer restorative care and rehabilitation, and promote quality of life and wellness to the elderly. From preventative measures like administering flu shots to educating the public with health information, county health departments ensure the everyday health of their residents.

Services include:Ù HospitalsÙ Nursing homesÙ Behavioral and mental

healthcareÙ Immunizations

Ù Testing servicesÙ Indigent healthcareÙ Health code inspectionsÙ Health clinicsÙ Public health

COUNTIES ARE INVOLVED

COUNTIES INVEST

$69.7 BILLION for community health and hospitals annually COUNTIES OWN

692 nursing homes, which represent

75% of the publicly owned nursing homes

COUNTIES SUPPORT

976 HOSPITALS WITH A TOTAL

OF 100,378 BEDS THAT SERVE MORE THAN PATIENT DAYS

in promotingpublic health

through more than

1,550 local health departments

15 MILLION

IS SPENT ON COUNTY COURTS AND LEGAL SERVICES ANNUALLY

$16.7 BILLION

JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETYCounties keep communities safe, by providing law enforcement and promoting crime prevention. From patrolling and policing the streets, to operating and maintaining county detention facilities, to serving as the arm of the county courts, county sheriffs and police departments are the linchpin of the criminal justice system. The other key players in the system are judges, district attorneys, public defenders, court clerks, jail directors and coroners.

Criminal justice components include:Ù Sheriffs departmentsÙ County police departmentsÙ County court systemsÙ Jails and correctional facilitiesÙ Juvenile detention and

justice servicesÙ District attorneysÙ Public defendersÙ Coroners

IS SPENT ON CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

IS SPENT ON POLICE AND SHERIFFS DEPARTMENTS

$23.3 BILLION

$30.2 BILLION

11.6 MILLIONpeople were admitted to

county and other local jails in 2012

THERE ARE

3,105county police and sheriffs

departments

TOTAL in justice and public safety services annually, of which ...

COUNTIES INVEST

$70.2 BILLION

COUNTY MANAGEMENTCounties provide vital services to all Americans, from issuing birth certificates and marriage licenses to operating 911 call centers. Counties often build and maintain the parks, swimming pools, community centers and cultural centers where you spend time with family and friends. Counties are responsible for running elections, from presidential to local. While balancing numerous administrative responsibilities, counties deliver essential services to ensure safe, healthy and resilient communities for their residents.

Services include:

poll workers

AND COORDINATEMORE THAN

704,000

Ù Record keepingÙ Tax assessmentsÙ 911 call centersÙ Elections and

polling places

Ù Recreation and parksÙ Arts programsÙ Housing, community

and economic development

to build and maintain parks and recreational facilities annually

COUNTIES INVEST

$9.3 BILLION

ANNUALLY, COUNTIES INVEST

$25.5 BILLIONinto economic development

polling places

EVERY TWO YEARS, COUNTIES FUND AND OVERSEE MORE THAN

167,000

39,000total county elected officials.

711

THERE ARE ALMOST

are elected county executives

NACo — BRINGING UNITY TO THE DIVERSITY OF AMERICA’S COUNTIES The nation’s 3,069 county governments provide the essential services to create healthy, vibrant, and safe communities. Counties support and maintain public infrastructure, transportation and economic development assets; keep residents healthy; ensure public safety to protect our citizens; maintain public information and coordinate elections; and implement a broad array of federal, state and local programs in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

People depend on counties to provide services that build, maintain, and protect their homes, schools and neighborhoods. Counties are also an instrumental player in America’s intergovernmental system of federal, state, and local governments.

NACo members support state and federal policies and programs that provide the tools, resources, and solutions needed to spur job growth, improve the quality of life for all Americans, and increase the economic competitiveness of America’s counties and communities. To accomplish this, NACo adheres to a set of core principles through its core functions.

NACo’s CORE PRINCIPLES

Empower county leaders with new skills, resources and ideas

Assist counties with first-class, cost-effective services

Provide timely, informative and value-added data, knowledge and programs

Promote sound public policies that advance the interests of counties

Exercise sound stewardship and management of NACo's financial, intellectual, and human resources

Enhance the public's understanding of county government

NACo’s CORE FUNCTIONS

Legislative, regulatory, and judicial representation in the nation’s capital

Research

Education & technical assistance

Cost-saving programs

Solutions for critical problems

Innovative programs that meet future county needs

THE DIVERSITY OF COUNTIES

No two counties are exactly the same. Counties are one of America’s oldest forms of government, dating back to 1634 when the first county governments were established in Virginia. Ever since, county governments continue to evolve and adapt to changing environments and populations, with Petersburg Borough, Alaska, incorporating as recently as 2013. Counties are diverse in the way they are structured and how they deliver services to their communities. States decide counties’ roles and responsibilities. States can allow counties to govern themselves by granting them home rule authority, which gives counties varying degrees of power to decide their own structural, functional and fiscal organization. Counties’ demographic, geographic and economic characteristics dictate how they deliver services to their communities. The organization and structure of counties are tailored to fit their communities’ needs and characteristics.

Ù Los Angeles County invests $18.9 billion annually — or more than 23 of our state governments each year. Ù If Cook County, Ill., were a state, it would be bigger than 30 states in population.Ù Almost 70 percent of counties have less than 50,000 residents.Ù One in four acres of county land is federally owned. In the West, one in two acres of county land is federally owned.

Service to

305MILLION

county residents

38,968total county elected

officials

$482.1 BILLION

total expenditures annually

3.3 MILLION

county employees

WWW.NACO.ORG/COUNTIESMATTER

NACo VisionHealthy, vibrant, safe and resilient counties across the United States

NACo’s MissionThe National Association of Counties (NACo) assists America’s counties in pursuing excellence in public service by advancing sound public policy, promoting peer learning and accountability, fostering intergovernmental and public-private collaboration, and providing value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money.

Founded in 1935, NACo provides the elected and appointed leaders from the nation’s 3,069 counties with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to provide fiscally responsible, quality-driven, and results oriented policies and services for healthy, vibrant, safe, and fiscally resilient counties.

NACo’s VISION: HEALTHY, VIBRANT, SAFE, AND RESILIENT COUNTIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

NACo’s MISSION

The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo assists America’s 3,069 counties in pursuing excellence in public service to produce healthy, vibrant, safe and resilient counties. NACo promotes sound public policies, fosters county solutions and innovation, promotes intergovernmental and public-private collaboration and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money.

SOURCESThe annual investments are 2007 figures. NACo Analysis of Census of Governments’ Data, 2007; NACo Data on county elected officials, April 2014; NACo Analysis of U.S. DOT Data, 2011; U.S. DOT, 2012; NACo Analysis of U.S. FTA Data, 2011; NACo Analysis of U.S. FAA Data, 2010; NACo Analysis of American Hospital Directory Data, 2011; NACo Analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Data, April 2014; National Association of County and City Health Officials, 2013; Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2013; NACo Analysis of County Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports, 2008-2010; NACo Analysis of U.S. Election Commission Data, 2012; U.S. Census, Population Division, Vintage 2013.

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Why NACo Matters

2015 Legislative Priorities

America’s 3,069 county governments provide the essential building blocks that help to create healthy, vibrant and safe communities. Counties support and maintain key public infrastructure, including roads, bridges, airports and transit systems, help create and sustain a skilled workforce to meet the needs of business, and promote public health and safety to protect our citizens.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) supports federal policies and programs that equip county governments with the resources and tools needed to effectively serve their residents. Each year, NACo’s Board of Directors adopts the association’s federal policy priorities, which help to shape NACo’s advocacy efforts on behalf of America’s counties.

LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIESN A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F C O U N T I E S

2 0 1 5

NACo supports maintaining the federal-state-local structure for financing and delivering Medicaid services. Counties continue to be concerned about measures that would further shift federal and state Medicaid costs to counties including cuts, caps or block grants.

PROTECT THE FEDERAL-STATE-LOCAL PARTNERSHIP FOR MEDICAID

NACo urges Congress to fix the Highway Trust Fund and pass a multi-year surface transportation bill that supports county roads, bridges and transit systems. Key priorities include allocating more funding for locally owned infrastructure, increasing local decision making authority, expediting project delivery and prioritizing investments that increase safety.

SUPPORT LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AND COUNTY PRIORITIES IN MAP-21 REAUTHORIZATION

NACo supports the preservation of the federal deductibility of local property and income taxes and the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds that provide critical funding for public facilities, infrastructure and development. Provisions like the tax exemption for municipal bond interest have been part of the federal tax code for over 100 years, helping finance more than $3.7 trillion in public works projects.

PROTECT THE TAX-EXEMPT STATUS OF MUNICIPAL BONDS

THE MAJORITY OF TAX-EXEMPT BONDS FUND THE BUILDING OFSCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, ROADS & JAILS

NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED USING BOND FINANCING75%OF

COUNTIES OWN

NATION’S BRIDGES39% of

the

NATION’S ROAD MILES45% of

the

COUNTIES ARE INVOLVED WITH

of the NATION’S AIRPORTS& TRANSIT SYSTEMS

a THIRD

Counties tonon-federal share of MEDICAID

contribute to the

Of States require42%COUNTIES

SPEND ALMOST

HEALTH CARE SERVICESANNUALLY ON

BILLION70

ACROSS THE COUNTRY692

andNURSING HOMES

976HOSPITALS

COUNTIES

RUN

States require counties to provide health care for low income, uninsured or underinsured residents

2 in 3

NACo supports extending full mandatory funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program as well as legislative efforts to reform and fund the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. PILT compensates counties for tax-exempt federal land within their boundaries, while SRS provides payments to counties to compensate for significant declines in federal revenue sharing due to reduced revenue generating activities within the National Forest System. Even though the federal government does not pay property tax on public land, counties must still provide essential services for their residents and those who visit public lands each year.

SUPPORT THE PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES (PILT) AND SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS (SRS) PROGRAMS

NACo supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes a modernized legal immigration system, establishes a temporary worker program, provides an earned path to citizenship and enhances border security while taking into consideration the financial impacts of immigration on county governments.

COUNTIES ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO PROVIDEHEALTH CARE, PUBLIC SAFETY & EDUCATION SERVICES FOR ALL, REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS

SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, SEARCH AND RESCUE, EMERGENCY MEDICAL, FIRE PROTECTION, SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE

PILT HELPS COUNTIES PROVIDE IMPORTANT LOCAL SERVICES

WITHIN THEIR BOUNDARIES

COUNTIES HAVE

NACo supports efforts to prevent the redefinition of “waters of the U.S.” that would result in the federal regulation of all public safety ditches. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have proposed to broaden the existing definition; this would increase the number of county owned and maintained public safety infrastructure that would fall under federal permitting authority. NACo has called on the federal government to withdraw the proposal until further analysis has been completed.

PROTECT COUNTY INTERESTS IN FEDERAL "WATERS OF THE U.S." RULEMAKING

NACo supports legislation to permit the collection of existing sales and use taxes from remote sellers. The issue of taxing remote sales has compounded in recent years due to the extraordinary development of the Internet as a retail marketplace. As a result, state and local governments have lost billions in uncollected sales taxes and Main Street businesses find themselves at a significant competitive disadvantage to various online sellers.

SUPPORT COUNTY AUTHORITY TO COLLECT EXISTING SALES TAX

THIS WOULD PROVIDE IMPORTANT LOCAL SERVICES:INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY, EDUCATION & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

UNCOLLECTEDis currently beingBILLION$26.1o

ver

62%OF

FEDERAL LAND

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NACo’s VISIONH E A LT H Y, V I B R A N T A N D S A F E C O U N T I E S A C R O S S T H E U N I T E D S TA T E SThe National Association of Counties (NACo) assists America’s counties in pursuing excellence in public service by advancing sound public policies, promoting peer learning and accountability, fostering intergovernmental and public-private collaboration, and providing value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money. Founded in 1935, NACo provides the elected and appointed leaders from the nation’s 3,069 counties with the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to advance fiscally responsible, quality-driven and results-oriented policies and services to build healthy, vibrant, safe and fiscally resilient counties. For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org.

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Mike BelarminoASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR Finance, Pensions & Intergovernmental Affairs202.942.4254 | mbelarmino@naco.org

Jessica Monahan ASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORTransportation 202.942.4217 | jmonahan@naco.org

Brian Bowden ASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORHealth 202.942.4275 | bbowden@naco.org

Arthur ScottASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORAgriculture and Rural Affairs | Rural Action Caucus202.942.4230 | ascott@naco.org

Daria DanielASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORCommunity, Workforce & Economic Development202.942.4269 | ddaniel@naco.org

Hadi SedighASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORHuman Services and Education202.942.4213 | hsedigh@naco.org

Yejin JangASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORTelecommunication & Technology | Justice & Public Safety202.942.4239 | yjang@naco.org

Jacob TerrellLEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT Justice and Public Safety | Large Urban County Caucus202.942.4236 | jterrell@naco.org

Chris MarklundASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORPublic Lands 202.942.4207 | cmarklund@naco.org

Julie UfnerASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOREnvironment, Energy & Land Use202.942.4269 | jufner@naco.org

Deborah CoxLEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR202.942.4286 | dcox@naco.org

Paul BeddoeDEPUTY LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORLarge Urban County Caucus202.942.4234 | pbeddoe@naco.org

NACo LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT STAFF DIRECTORY