WHAT HAPPENED: A shortened-by-holiday workweek, but
with as much attention as ever on the news – West Coast wildfires, East Coast
storm formations, November campaigns, early voting, Congress, and of course the
pandemic.
WHAT IT MEANS: Let’s focus on Congress and the
pandemic – a “skinny” relief package was on the Senate’s table but didn’t
advance for lack of votes. It didn’t include more money for state or local
governments.
ON TAP: It might not be until after Election Day that
we see the next proposal for relief. That’s unfortunate, as the need for relief
among local governments is immediate. But it does provide more time to keep the
communication going with your members of Congress on why this is so important.
THE SKINNY: This week’s Bulletin provides more context.
It also features a national report, which includes the League’s voice, on why
specifically local governments need help. In short, they’re a foundation of the
economy. Keep sharing this message.
State Rep. Josh Dobson was recognized Thursday by the
North Carolina League of Municipalities as its Community Champion Award
recipient.
The award is presented to legislators for their
dedicated support of North Carolina cities and towns. Dobson was chosen as the award’s
2020 recipient for his tireless work advocating on behalf of local governments
to access more avenues for better broadband service for their residents and
businesses, an issue of particular importance as more North Carolinians work
and study from home during the COVID-19 crisis.
He served as a primary sponsor of
HB 431 FIBER NC Act,
which would better enable local governments to utilize their resources to
partner with private internet service providers to both provide and improve
service.
“Access to high-speed Internet should not be a luxury
in North Carolina. I am proud to work on this legislation and I am thankful
that going forward the League of Municipalities will be there to continue to
fight for high-speed Internet in every corner of North Carolina,” Dobson said
upon accepting the award.
Representative Dobson is serving his fourth term in
the North Carolina House, representing Avery, McDowell and Mitchell counties.
He is a chair of the House Appropriations Committee and chair of the House
Health Policy Committee. Prior to his initial appointment to the state House in
2013, he had served as a McDowell County Commissioner. He and his wife,
Valerie, and daughter, Kennedy, reside in Nebo.
NCLM President Jennifer Robinson praised Dobson’s
advocacy for “one of the critical issues of our time.”
“Whether rural towns needing access to more reliable
service or our more urban cities requiring more affordable options for working
class families, improving broadband access is one of the critical issues of our
time. Representative Dobson was a true champion helping to bring this issue to
forefront of discussions at the General Assembly and advocating on behalf of
towns and cities and this vital need,” said Robinson, Council Member from the
Town of Cary.
You can read more about the FIBER NC Act and other legislation
of import to cities and towns from the last legislative session in the League’s
31-page
End
of Session Bulletin.
The so-called “skinny” coronavirus relief package that
was being considered in the U.S. Senate this week – inclusive of unemployment
benefits, business aid and COVID-19 testing, among other things, but no direct
money for state and local governments –
failed
to pass as it came short of the 60 votes it needed to move. Over the course
of the pandemic, the League has urged Congress’ help for local governments,
which have seen hurtful drop-offs in revenues for services vital to residents
and businesses due to the virus’ consumer effects and related policy
implementations. The League’s partner, the National League of Cities, points
out that only a few days remain for Congress this month; with competing
priorities, the chambers might not be able to restore focus on this need until
after the November election. In the interim, it’s important that Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell hears from fellow senators who support local funding. While
an election approaches, keep reaching out to your members of the U.S. House and
Senate.
The League is quoted in a national piece released
Friday from Stateline, a news publication from the Pew Charitable Trusts, on
the crisis so many rural utilities are in as COVID-19 persists. It comes as the
League and its partners the National League of Cities have been advocating
around the clock for assistance from Congress for local governments and
utilities hard-hit by the pandemic, as we know that healthy cities, towns and
villages are an important way out of what could otherwise be a prolonged
recession. “Rural water and wastewater systems
have largely been left out of federal and state pandemic relief, and yet they
play critical roles in local economies,” Stateline reports. “Homes rely on
them, of course, but so do small businesses such as eateries and large
companies such as manufacturers and processing plants.”
The nationally focused article zooms
in on North Carolina and taps the League in reporting on how the pandemic has
especially hurt communities that have seen jobs and industry, and subsequently
population, decline over the years. “It’s disappointing in my position to hear
politicians say, ‘You're just asking for more money to fix
an existing problem,'" Stateline quotes of the League’s Scott Mooneyham.
"Well, yeah, there was an existing problem that was created through no
fault of these communities themselves, which you've kind of ignored — and now
you're blaming them.
“These are your constituents," he added. "Help them."
Read
the full Stateline article.
The 2020
Census is at
a
critical moment. This count determines North Carolina's federal funding and
representation for the next 10 years. And yet, with little time left, our state
is severely undercounted. Please use
our
collection of resources you can use to help increase the count. Billions
and billions of dollars are on the line at a time when our communities are
already in dire need of funding assistance. Every response to the 2020 Census
helps. Let your community know that it’s in everyone’s interest.
The 2020
Census is at
a
critical moment. This count determines North Carolina's federal funding and
representation for the next 10 years. And yet, with little time left, our state
is severely undercounted. Please use
our
collection of resources you can use to help increase the count. Billions
and billions of dollars are on the line at a time when our communities are
already in dire need of funding assistance. Every response to the 2020 Census
helps. Let your community know that it’s in everyone’s interest.
The N.C. Pandemic Recovery Office, or NC PRO, is holding two calls with local governments this month to provide updates and an opportunity for Q&A. The two calls – Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 11 a.m. to noon; and Thursday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to noon – will share the same general information, with updates on the CARES Act and spending and reporting requirements. Stay tuned: Members will receive invitations for both calls. Please attend the session that works best for your schedule.
