A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO REGIONAL COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENT TO ASSIST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ON A REGIONAL BASIS IN THE AREAS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT LOCAL NEEDS AND TO PROVIDE TARGETED ASSISTANCE TO AID LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN DISTRESSED COUNTIES WITH ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
Whereas, North Carolina's Regional Councils of Government have provided effective assistance to local governments in every region of the State since 1980, and
Whereas, Regional Councils of Government have been successful in leveraging the annual State appropriations into an impressive level of State and federal grants to benefit communities and citizens across the State, obtaining more than $50 for every dollar appropriated, and
Whereas, North Carolina's Regional Councils of Government bring local governments together to deal with economic growth and other common needs on a regional scale, playing a valuable role in bridging the gaps between rural and urban areas, as local governments' needs have expanded, especially in economically distressed counties and in growth areas, and
Whereas, Regional Councils of Government are in an ideal position to help local governments in the State's most distressed areas develop and carry out projects to change economic conditions and restore hope to these communities; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Commerce the sum of one hundred seventy thousand dollars ($170,000) for 2008‑2009, in addition to funds appropriated for 2008‑2009 in S.L. 2007‑323. Funds appropriated under this section shall be allocated to regional councils of government or lead regional organizations as provided by this section. Each regional council of government or lead regional organization is allocated ten thousand dollars ($10,000) from this appropriation.
SECTION 2.  A regional council of government may use funds appropriated by Section 1 of this act only to assist local governments in grant applications, economic development, community development, support of local industrial development activities, infrastructure and water resource development, and other activities as deemed appropriate by the member governments.
SECTION 3.  Funds appropriated by this act shall be paid by electronic transfer in two equal installments, the first no later than September 1 each year and the second, subsequent to acceptable submission of the annual report due to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Fiscal Research Division by February 15 of each year as specified in Section 6 of this act.
SECTION 4.  Funds appropriated in this act shall not be used for payment of dues or assessments by the member governments and shall not supplant funds appropriated by the member governments.
SECTION 5.  Each council of government or lead regional organization shall report on program activities, objectives, expenditures, and accomplishments in the same manner as required in Section 13.6(e)(2) of S.L. 2007‑323, except that reports required in this section shall be submitted by February 15, 2009.
SECTION 6.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2008.