BasicGov / BLOG

A recent NACo survey shows that local governments are still feeling the effects of the US national recession.

Among the key findings of the report are that:

• Declining revenues from the state are the number one contributor to lower revenue for counties (46 percent);
• Counties used rainy-day funds (40%), made administrative changes and adjusted personnel to help keep their budgets balanced; and
• More than half of the counties surveyed (53%) have fewer county staff than they did in 2010. 71% of counties with fewer employees lost up to 5 percent of their workforce.

Counties consolidating activities

The study found that some counties are consolidating activities, here are few from the report:

• 29% have consolidated community and economic development activities
• 23% have consolidated law enforcement and/or fire protection
• 15% have consolidated their information technology
• 26 % have consolidated their dispatch services or animal control

Cities contracting with counties for service delivery

The report shows that some counties are contracting with cities for cost and budget efficiencies:

• 25% for law enforcement
• 17% for other such as animal control, code enforcement, dispatch and election processes

Size of county makes a difference:

• 83%  of the largest counties are contracting with other local governments for law enforcement
• 22%  of the midsize counties
• 18% of the smallest are doing the same

About the survey and report

In early February 2011, the National Association of Counties conducted an economic status survey. The survey was conducted by National Research, LLC and responses were received from 500 county governments in 44 states. This survey is a follow up to five previous economic status surveys that have tracked how counties are fairing during the current economic slowdown.

Click here to download the full report.

To see additional, source for some of this information, click here.

US cities are finding code enforcement solutions to help with foreclosures. See examples below.

Collier County Code Enforcement’s Blight Prevention Program is helping with foreclosure related problems. The program includes 3 areas:

1.   Address Health, Safety and Welfare Issues

• React immediately to reported code violations and coordinate with banking institutions to resolve the violations

2.   Stabilize Property Values and Property Tax Revenue

• Properly maintained properties stabilizes values and tax revenue

• Enhances the “sell” ability of the property for prospective buyers

3.   Prevents Blight within the Community

• The program embraces a proactive approach with banking institutions; provides regular follow-up with lenders about property conditions; advises lenders of code violations and issues affidavits of compliance when successfully addressed. See source.

In Indio they have hired 2 part-time code enforcement officers help the city stay on top of the home foreclosure program. Source: http://www.mydesert.com/article/20110225/NEWS01/102240343/1006/news01/Indio-hire-2-new-part-time-code-enforcement-officers

In Charles County commissioners have a new task force aimed at addressing residential property standards. This was a result of hearing presentation on the struggles that neighbors, real estate agents and banks have with foreclosed and derelict properties. See source.

Register for a free webinar and find out how other cities are using code enforcement software. Click here to register.