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« Legislative News From the Legislative Desk
By Carey “Buck” Boethel
Director of Governmental Relations
Counties to Receive Energy Grants — the federal government is going to provide $20,000-$150,000 in grant money per non-entitlement county to fund energy efficient programs and projects that will reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions and improve energy efficiency in the communities of most counties in Texas. Non-entitlement counties include those that did not receive a direct allocation from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Comptroller of Public Accounts began sending informational packets to eligible counties with relevant program details, as well as allocation amounts, on Sept. 25.
According to a Sept. 2 letter from the comptroller’s office, non-entitlement counties will be eligible to use the funds for “building energy audits and retrofits; installation of distributed energy technologies, including combined heat and power and district heating and cooling systems; installation of energy efficient traffic signals and street lighting; and, installation of renewable energy technologies on government buildings.” The Office of the State Comptroller will administer the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program through its Office of State Energy Conservation. The program is one of many initiatives funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Interested county officials may call (800) 531-5441, extension 3-4679 for program details. Eligible counties can also visit www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/arra/eecbg/index.php to view their particular allocations and obtain additional information.
Economies of Scale — Senator Eliot Shapleigh wrote the following in a Sept. 10 column posted to his Web site: “If done right, consolidation can do more than just help local government weather tough economic times — consolidation can revitalize government, making it more responsive to the needs of local communities, lower taxes, provide better services and meet the challenges of the 21st century.”
There are efficiencies to be realized by consolidating certain local government services, particularly those that are not dependent on personnel. “Functional consolidation” of local government duties is best evidenced by the terms and conditions of the inter-local agreements entered into among representatives of local governments. Examples of these consolidated services include emergency medical services, a wide range of communication facilities and many other common provisions of local governments. In contrast, “structural consolidation” is usually manifested by virtue of a legislative grant of authority for the issuance of a charter that prescribes the general structure for a government that represents the joinder or merger of two or more existing local governments, such as a city and a county.
A good deal of services provided by local governments, such as law enforcement, prisoner care and the administration of justice, are labor intensive. Economies of scale do not call for increased efficiencies when such local government activities are consolidated. County government — it’s the pulse of the people.
NOTE: Stimulus Reporting Deadline: Oct. 10
Recipients of Recovery Act (economic stimulus) funding have until Oct. 10 to submit their first report to the federal government regarding the use of the funds. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions about this reporting requirement and its applicability, please visit www.federalreporting.gov.
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