Elected Officials’ Essentials 2017-18
The 2017-18 ULCT Board of Directors President: Bountiful Council Member Beth Herriman Council Member Nicole Martin Holbrook Grantsville Council Member Jewel Allen 1 st Vice Pres.: St. George Mayor Jon Pike Park City Council Member Andy Beerman 2 nd Vice Pres.: Spanish Fork Council Member Heber Council Member Kelleen Potter Mike Mendenhall Green River Mayor Pat Brady Immed. Past Pres.: Kaysville Mayor Steve Hiatt Naples Mayor Dean Baker Richfield Council Member Richard Barnett North Logan Council Member Damon Cann Perry Mayor Karen Cronin Ex oficio: Ogden Mayor Mike Caldwell Treasurer: North Salt Lake Mayor Len Arave North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor UCMA: Scott Bond, Sandy Layton Mayor Bob Stevenson UMCA: Leigh Ann Warnock, Ephraim
We are a better League today than ever before “A Review of Best Practices for Internal Control of Limited Purpose Entities” June 2017, Legislative Auditor General • Transparency compliance (Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Public Finance website, etc.) • Internal Controls • Division of Responsibilities • Board of Directors • Internal Controls • Credit Card • Reimbursement
ULCT staff and consultants • Cameron Diehl, Executive Director • Brandon Smith, Legislative Research Analyst • David Church, General Counsel • Karson Eilers, Legislative Research • Roger Tew, Senior Policy Advisor Analyst • Susan Wood, Director of • Abby Bolic, Operations Manager Communication and Training • John Oliver, Video Production • Nick Jarvis, Chief Operating Officer • John Hiskey, Policy Advisor • Meg Ryan, Land Use Academy of Utah • Kerri Nakamura, Financial Advisor • TBD, Director of Government Relations • Dave Sanderson, Chief Financial Officer
ULCT exists to serve you • Local government = rubber meets the road • Quality of life and Making Life Better • Powers and Duties • Bookmark • Legislative advocacy, resources, training • Engage in the Legislative Policy Committee, National League of Cities, ULCT subgroups, and at conferences • Upcoming events: • Local Officials Day at the Capitol, Jan. 24; Midyear Conference in St. George Apr. 25-27 • We facilitate the exchange of ideas and growth of relationships • Why did you run for office?
ULCT, the Utah State Legislature, and you League Army: the value of establishing connections Key legislative issues that will impact Utah’s cities and towns Preparing for Growth (Unified Transportation Plan)
ULCT Mantra as your advocates • Government closest to the people governs best • Promote and preserve local authority • Informed membership • Friday Facts/daily email • Conferences/trainings • Problem solvers/partners throughout the year • Congress, Utah State Legislature, Governor’s office, agencies, counties, districts
The power of ULCT: #leaguearmy
www.ulct.org (legislative advocacy)
Bill tracking
Legislative Policy Committee Body that gives ULCT staff legislative direction Note: policy subcommittees to come • 235 voting members • Average attendance: 130+ • 107 cities and towns • Every city/town entitled to 3 voting members • ULCT-USU partnership for webcasts • 202 people, 53 cities & towns • Hatch to Vernal and Nibley to Ephraim • Mondays at noon during the legislative session • CHECK THE ROSTER on www.ulct.org
Team ULCT: staff and “extended family” • Thanks to the cities who contribute managers, recorders, police chiefs, attorneys, & experts during the session and year to ULCT • Thanks to the elected officials and city leaders for “loaning” those experts to all of us • Clerks Assoc., streaming; Chiefs of Police Assoc., body cameras; City Managers Assoc. on HB 164 • In recent years, many experienced & active city managers, attorneys, & clerks have retired • We need your involvement and expertise!
In 45 (ahem, 46) days, here’s what happened last year 1,272 bill requests: RECORD 815 bills considered & 535 bills passed (66%) ULCT tracked 283 /815 (35% of all bills; ULCT record) • Of those 283, 187 passed (66%) • Red bills: 16 • Orange bills: 32 • Yellow bills: 79 • Gray bills: 156 Support good bills, improve “fixable” bills, stop bad bills • Meet w/sponsors, amendments, testimony in committee, research, fiscal notes)
Where we are: tension from yesterday to tomorrow Federalism conflicts, What are these dating to pre-1787 pressure points? Why are they State increasing? Local Federal Federal-local conflicts continue to grow (group homes, water)
What are the cannon balls coming at us? Structural: cities are political subdivisions of the state 1) One bad city = “need” for state law 2) State policy trumps local practice 3) State priority: investment of state $ and resources Other pressure points: 1) Local gov’t infringes on fundamental rights (i.e. property) 2) What is the “proper role of government?” (libertarian) 3) Desire for uniformity & efficiency in local government 4) Perceived lack of justification for local gov’t fees and regs 5) Disruptive innovation v. bureaucracy 6) Turnover of elected officials 7) Influence of special interest groups
Others are fighting cities … are we fighting back?
State priority: prison relocation, Point of the Mountain, Northwest Quadrant; “State City?”
ULCT: local authority is enshrined in law • State Constitution, Art. XI Sec 5: • Levy, assess, & collect taxes/assessments; borrow money • Furnish all local public services • Make local public improvement Utah Code 10-8-84: “city may pass all ordinances necessary and proper to …” • provide for safety and health • promote prosperity • improve the morals, peace, and good order, and comfort of the city and its inhabitants • protect property in the city • UT Sup. Court: “general welfare power = independent (city) authority to pass ordinances” • Information, research, #leaguearmy
ULCT’s strength is our membership Invite legislators to council mtgs, • breakfasts, police ride-alongs, tours Include legislators on city messages • Contact legislators about city/ULCT • priorities, needs, and achievements HB 362, 2015 = #leaguearmy • generated hundreds of contacts Being a mayor or a council member • brings prestige: USE IT Build relationships of trust •
Specific issues: Joint Policy Guide • Municipal revenue • Water • Taxes (property, sales), fees • Legal rights • Infrastructure (pop. growth) • Land use planning (pop. growth) • Utilities • Housing (all types) • Economic development • Small cell telecommunications • Regulations/fees/inspections • Electricity • Transportation (pop. growth) • Waste • State infrastructure • Transparency • Local roads • Meetings, information, etc. • Transit/active • Legal • Public safety • Liability • Homelessness • Justice courts/indigent defense • Justice Reinvestment Initiative
Utah municipal revenue today; what about tomorrow? Sales Tax Property Telecom and other taxes Intergov't Fees Class C Rev Licensing Courts
Tax reform: everything is on the table • “Broaden the base and lower the rate… except when we narrow the base and raise the rate” • Local option 1% sales tax • Manufacturing inputs • Sales tax on food • Truth in taxation in property tax • Inflation? Mandatory ad? • Motor fuel tax/road user charge
What does that mean annually? • Approx. 60,000 new residents in Utah • Equivalent to the city of Taylorsville
Keep track of Operation Rio Grande related data
Transportation Task Force
Transportation Task Force recommendations to date LAND USE/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UTA GOVERNANCE • Modernize UDOT prioritization • Governing board changes criteria • ULCT concern about local authority, local dollars, and state oversight • ULCT supports this incentive • Access to Transportation • Corridor/area plans around state Investment Fund (state) infrastructure • ULCT supports integrated plans • ULCT concern FUNDING FOR TOMORROW • Who determines the corridor? Scope? • Road User Charge (RUC) • How do cities participate? • Transportation utility fees • Oppose penalties/”disincentives” if city plan is different • More to come
ULCT longstanding positions • 2007-01 Land Use Resolution • “ULCT strongly opposes any legislation attempting to take away or limit the authority of local elected officials to make land use decisions within their jurisdictions” • 2011-001 Resolution on local government tax structure • “any change to municipal funding should include the comprehensive input of cities … changes to the distribution formula creates ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ and should be evaluated carefully • 2012-004 Sales Tax and Economic Development • “formulate a strategy to create long-term sustainability in local gov’t financial tools” • 2016-3 Local Property Tax • “municipalities need to be able to obtain some growth in property tax … to avoid the undesirable effects of excessive dependence upon sales tax revenues”
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