THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 20, 1994 TAG: 9411180166
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Long : 117 lines
The following is a partial list of the Suffolk City Council's recommendations for its 1995 legislative package.
Each year, the council creates a legislative package to serve as a guide for Suffolk's legislators in the General Assembly. The next legislative session begins in January. LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES General law amendments
Impact fees: The council requests the state code be amended to add the city of Suffolk to those cities that are allowed to assess and impose impact fees for road improvements. (recommended by Councilwoman Rogers)
Industrial access road funding: The city requests that legislation be introduced to require the Virginia Department of Transportation to fund the cost of industrial roads that meet city standards rather than VDOT standards. The standards for industrial access roads set by VDOT differ significantly from the city's standards. (recommended by Councilwoman Rogers)
Rental occupancy programs: The city requests that the state code be amended to allow citywide rental occupancy programs by local option. Budget Amendments
Jail reimbursement: The city requests that the state increase its reimbursement to localities for housing state prisoners. (recommended by Councilwoman Rogers)
Aid to localities: The city requests that the General Assembly restore the reductions in aid to localities in the fiscal 1995-96 budget, in particular constitutional officers' fringe benefits.
Abandoned structures: The city requests that the state provide funding for clearing or rehabilitating abandoned structures for cities with less than 75,000 residents. POLICY STATEMENTS Community/Econ Development
Impact fees: The city urges the General Assembly to expand authority for local governments to use impact fees to finance the cost of growth and off-setting local infrastructure costs caused by development.
Land-use planning: The city asks the state not to pursue any effort to intervene in local land use decisions.
Housing: The city asks the General Assembly to ensure that the state maintains its role in funding housing for the needy, including construction and rent subsidies.
Spot blight: The city asks the General Assembly to allow localities or redevelopment and housing authorities to rehabilitate and clear individual abandoned property without requiring the property to be located in a conservation or rehabilitation district.
Virginia Growth Strategies Act: The city does not support any state effort to constrain growth in some areas of Virginia to stimulate growth in other areas. The city also opposes any effort to change the role of local planning district commissions. The city also opposes any legislation that would restrict local government's land use authority to establish, modify and enforce zoning classifications. EDUCATION
Taxing authority: The city opposes taxing authority for elected school boards.
Equity in education: The city opposes any effort to address disparity by simply redistributing existing state aid among jurisdictions.
State educational mandates: The city supports the School Board's request that the General Assembly fund all educational mandates, including the state mandates for teacher salary increases and reduction in class size.
School employees' benefits: The city supports the Suffolk School Board's position on maintaining the current level of benefits for school employees.
Local autonomy: The city supports the School Board encouraging the General Assembly to consider the careful balance between state standards and the benefits of local educational priorities.
State funding of instructional programs: The city supports the School Board's request that the General Assembly not adopt legislation allowing funds for existing programs to be used for new mandated state programs.
Binding arbitration: The city supports the School Board's opposition to binding arbitration.
Share-the-Ride: The city supports the School Board's opposition to legislation that would require public schools to transport private school pupils.
Health care costs: The city supports the School Board's request that the General Assembly recognize how increasing health care costs relate to school employee salaries.
Virginia Public School Construction Grants Program: The city supports House Bill 1018, which would establish a school construction, addition or site acquisition program. EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT
Freedom of Information Act: The city believes that amendment to the Freedom of Information Act to require production of customized computer records would be expensive. Localities should be able to charge reasonable rates for computer records.
Collective bargaining: The city opposes collective bargaining for public employees.
Regional government: The city opposes any action by the General Assembly that would mandate a regional form of government.
Mandates: The city requests that the General Assembly not add the hardship of additional mandates upon localities unless state appropriations are made to fully cover the cost.
Local sales tax option: The city supports enabling legislation giving localities the authority to adopt a one-cent local option sales tax. Proceeds would go toward education. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Craney Island: The city opposes any attempt to reopen the issue of expanding Craney Island for disposal of dredge waste. by CNB