Eminent Domain, Budget Top State League Legislative
Priorities
by Sherry Conway Appel
Results from a new survey of state municipal leagues conducted by the National
League of Cities show that eminent domain, preserving the local taxing
authority and state fiscal support for local governments topped the list of
municipal priorities as states across the country begin their legislative
sessions.
Thirty-four of the 43 state municipal leagues responding to the informal survey
listed the preservation of local authority to use eminent domain as an issue of
immediate concern.
Other top concerns included funding for infrastructure, transportation and
education, and state tax reform or tax restructuring.
State legislatures will be grappling with significant issues in the coming
year that will directly affect the ability of cities to revitalize their
communities, raise revenues and support needed constituent services, said
Donald J. Borut, NLC executive director. We must speak with a loud and clear
voice on behalf of the 225 million people who live in our cities and towns and
make sure their needs are kept at the forefront of every debate and every vote
cast in our state capitals.
State municipal league officials also cited land use development; personnel and
labor issues; telecommunications issues; home rule and local preemption; and
annexation as critical issues for cities.
In many respects, the issues parallel those that are being debated at the
federal level. NLC supports the view that decisions over the use of eminent
domain, franchising authority, and telecommunications taxation should be
determined at the local level, where elected officials can more appropriately
weigh-in with their unique concerns.
The survey found that local issues were better received by state officials when
there was more frequent communication between local elected officials and state
legislators, including lobby days where legislators are educated about the key
role played by cities as economic engines for their respective states.
Details: For more information, contact Sherry Conway Appel, (202)
626-3003 or appel@nlc.org, or Latricia Good
at (202) 626-3051 or lgood@nlc.org.
For more news and information about NLC and local government issues, visit www.nlc.org.
Findings of Informal Survey of State Municipal Leagues
Several months after the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Kelo v. City of New
London, 34 of the 43 state leagues that responded to the NLC survey listed
eminent domain as an issue of primary or secondary concern in 2006.
The five most often cited fiscal and budget issues of primary or
secondary concern are:
1. Preserving local tax authority and preserving the local tax base
2. State aid/funding for local governments
3. Infrastructure/transportation funding
4. Education funding
5. Tax Reform/Tax Restructuring
Besides eminent domain, the five other most often cited non-fiscal and
non-budget related issues that were of primary or secondary concern include:
1. Land use development
2. Personnel/Labor Issues
3. Telecommunications Issues
4. Home Rule/Local Control/Preemption
5. Annexation
In their 2005 sessions, state municipal leagues reported legislative
victories for cities and towns in the following issue areas:
1. Increasing amounts or preventing cuts in state aid to cities and towns
2. Preventing or limiting cuts to state-shared revenue, as well as increasing
state-shared revenue
3. Preserving existing municipal authority in a variety of areas
In their 2005 sessions, state municipal leagues reported legislative
setbacks for cities and towns in the following issue areas:
1. Reductions in state aid
2. Failure to pass reforms to curb the imposition of state mandates on cities
3. Reductions in municipal authority and local control
National League of Cities
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Suite 550 · Washington, DC 20004
Phone:(202) 626-3000 · Fax:(202) 626-3043
info@nlc.org · www.nlc.org
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