AG 2010 05 17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ADVOCACY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS (CONTINUED) ~/-TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS -Support legislation to allow a county to implement TDRs as another tool to promote good land-use policy. S547 (Transfer of Development Rights), sponsored by Sen. Bob Atwater (Chatham), would authorize Chatham County and its municipalities to establish and implement a transfer of development rights program. This bill, although a local bill for a single county, would further a legislative goal of the Association. The bill was heard in a Senate Judicia- ry Committee, but because of the complexity of the issue, the bill sponsor chose to have a study of the concept included in the 2009 Studies bill. The study will be reported during the 2010 short session. J RETIRED COUNTY COMMISSIONER HEALTH BENEFITS -Support legislation to pro- vide that former county commissioners are eligible to participate in health care benefits provided by county government. S468 (Authorize Insurance for Former Employees) authorizes counties to provide health insurance benefits for former officers (i.e. county commissioners) and employees of the county who are not receiving retirement benefits. S468, sponsored by Sen. Floyd McKissick (Durham), was ratified by the General Assembly on Aug. 7. AGRICULTURE X FUND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SERVICES -Support legislation to increase funding for Ag- ricultural research and Extension services offered through North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University and to assure that existing research stations are maintained at the current level of service. • Expansion funds limited. ./ SUPPORT CONSERVATION OF WORKING LANDS AND FARMLAND PRESERVATION -Support efforts to pro- mote and conserve working lands, including 1) legislation that includes horticulture, forestry and farmland as part of the state recreation and tourism plan, with emphasis on the protection and support of private working lands; 2) legislation that retains the present use value tax break for working agricultural, horticultural and forestry lands but does not further dilute its status by expanding the tax break to non-agricultural, non-working lands including non-working conservation properties; and 3) legislation to expand funding of the Agricultural Development and Farm Land Preservation Trust Fund and to create a dedicated revenue source to assure continued and stable fund maintenance. The state budget adopted in August 2009 expanded the funding of the Agricultural Development and Farmland Pres- ervation Trust Fund by $2 million in 2009-10. G-4 Page 140