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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jim Philipps
July 15, 2008 202-942-4220, jphilipps@naco.org
New NACo President Don Stapley calls on Congress and The White House to Restore the Partnership with counties
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – New National Association of Counties (NACo) President Don Stapley said the need to restore the federal-county partnership has never been greater as more counties struggle to cope with shrinking revenues, higher costs of fuel, energy and health care and increasing public demand for essential services.
Stapley, supervisor, Maricopa County, Ariz., began his one-year term as NACo president on July 15 at NACo’s 73rd Annual Conference and Exposition held July 11-15 in Jackson County, Mo. He was first elected as a NACo officer in 2005.
Stapley said that county-owned and operated hospitals, nursing homes, jails, courts, police and sheriff departments, roads, bridges, and drinking water and wastewater systems are under great financial duress across the country as a result of shrinking revenues and increased costs.
“The roles and responsibilities of many counties in America are changing drastically,” Stapley said. “As populations grow in traditionally rural communities, residents are demanding services such as enhanced access to health care, better roads, clean drinking water, modern schools, parks and recreation programs -- the list goes on and on.
“In our large urban counties, the distinction between the city and the county has become almost irrelevant to residents – they expect traditional city services,” said Stapley, whose home county is the nation’s third largest in population. “Counties accept these responsibilities, but the costs and challenges are increasingly difficult to manage in light of shrinking revenues as a result of the housing and foreclosure crisis, high fuel prices and increasing population.
“No longer can counties accept unfunded mandates from Washington and continue to deliver essential services at a level Americans expect,” Stapley said. “We need the federal government to work with county officials to develop pragmatic solutions to our shared responsibilities.”
In the months ahead, Stapley will lead NACo’s Restore the Partnership Campaign to reestablish a
working relationship between the next President and Congress and county governments. Part of that effort will include encouraging Congress to introduce legislation to create a “National Commission on Intergovernmental Relations” which would establish a permanent independent, bipartisan group to study and consider the federal government’s intergovernmental relationships and recommend solutions for the challenges facing our country.
In addition, as president of NACo, Stapley will lead initiatives on green government and immigration reform:
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Green Government/Green County Fleets
The NACo Green Government Initiative, begun in 2007, will continue to serve as a catalyst between counties and the private sector to encourage practices, products and policies that result in financial and environmental savings. In partnership with leading suppliers of green products and services, NACo provides comprehensive resources for counties on all things green, including energy, air quality, transportation, water quality, land use, purchasing and recycling.
Under Stapley’s leadership, green vehicles will be a particular emphasis of the initiative. His goal is to promote higher fuel efficiency and alternatively powered vehicles. The nation’s 3,068 counties own approximately 500,000 fleet vehicles. NACo desires to provide a combination of education, advocacy and discounted purchasing opportunities to assist counties in moving toward green fleets.
Stapley is working with the federal government, auto manufacturers and others to bring this vision to fruition.
A Civil Dialogue on Immigration
NACo supports comprehensive federal immigration legislation, and it is Stapley’s goal that such legislation be enacted as soon as possible. A workable system for legal immigration into the U.S. is essential to the economy and our individual communities. Illegal immigration, on the other hand, continues to stress the education, health care, criminal justice and other locally-run systems in counties across the country.
Stapley also believes that one consequence of the bitter debate about illegal immigration in the U.S. has been a breakdown in civil dialogue about immigrants themselves and their essential role in American history and our economy. In advocating for new legislation, Stapley’s approach includes plans to restore civility to the debate and help build a consensus around a workable system of legal immigration.
Stapley Biography Information
Stapley was first elected to represent Maricopa County’s 2nd District in 1993.
A member of the NACo Board of Directors since 2004, Stapley chaired NACo’s Strategic Plan Advisory Committee and the Large Urban County Caucus, in addition to serving on numerous other committees.
In 2004, Stapley was named “County Leader of the Year” by American City & County magazine for his local and national leadership. He is a member of the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council and the County Commission on Justice System Intervention for the Seriously Mentally Ill.
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The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s 3,068 counties. NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public's understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money. For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org