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INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS POLICY STATEMENT Basic Governmental Philosophy The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners affirms rite following as its basic governmental philosophy: Leave to private initiative all the functions that citizens can peffoma privately while en- couraging a parmership between local governments and the business community in all possible ways. · Use the level of government closest to the people for all the public functions possible. · Utilize intei~govemmental agreements where appropriate to attain economical perfor- mance and popular approval. Reserve national action for those areas where state and local governments are not ade- quate and where continuing national involvement is necessary. The Intergovernmental System The State plays a vital role in the economic well-being of the counties. In recognition of this partnership, the State should provide alternatives to enable the counties to meet their basic infrastmc- lure needs. By statute the counties of North Carolina are agents of the Stale; however, county governments are more than local branches of state government. As representatives of the local government that touches ~11 the people county commissioners accept responsibility for sUengthening and'improving county government and will continually strive'to lead effectively. The Association believes strongly in flexibility of form, function, and finance. Counties should be free to organize for the efficient and effective delivery of services as deemed appropriate by each county. They should be free to determine the scope and extent of governmental service they will render (subject to the need for uniformity in delivery of sbrvices of national or statewide import); to this end, the Associhtion will continue to oppose minimum service levels and maintenance of effort requirements. Counties should have the authority to employ a variety of means of financing coun- ty government. We believe in maximum local authority consistent with the attainment of statewide objectives. To provide equity among the counties, and to relieve counties of fiscal bnrdens which cannot ade- quately be funded by county revenue sources, services mandated by the federal government should be fully funded by the federal government, and those services mandated by the State should be fully funded by the State. The Association recognizes the brotherhood of cities and counties in the family of local govern- ment and urges the strengthening of the partnership between counties and cities. There must be recognition'of issues ~vhich cross city and county lines. These issues must be dealt with coopera- tively. The Association ~upports regional councils as a forum for addressing such issues. Local general purpose governments are the building blocks for solving regional problems; therefore, any regional approach must be based on the need to strengthen and support local governments. The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners generally supports the policy posi- tions established by the National Association of Counties, but retains the right to establish its own policy positions on specific issues as deemed appropriate by its membership. The Importance of Unity Thc constitutional purpose of the North carolina Association of County Commissioners is "to provide the legisiatare and the public with information necessary for the passage of Sound legisla- tion beneficial t6 the administration of county affairs'ahd lo oppose leg~lation'injuriou~ thereto." The Association affirms thh(~ts resom'ces will not be utilized 0n be.half of individual counties seek- ing legislative remedy for ~roblems' that are not statewide in nature. Its lobbying efforts will be directed toward the support of sound legislation beneficial to the adminislration of all counties' af~ fairs, and to the opposition of legislation injurious to the counties as a body. I1