The FY13 Legislative Budget Proposal was introduced earlier this week, but has seen little movement due to a lack of negotiations between the Legislature and the Governor.  The Governor's Office has stated that the introduced budget lacks a sufficient focus on educational and public safety funding; and that, despite the need to budget conservatively, those are two areas that cannot be ignored in a year where there is a surplus.

On Tuesday, AACo released an analysis of county impacts within the proposal.  Those impacts fell into six different categories: general government, criminal justice, environment, health & welfare, state revenues, and elections. 

While there were both positive and negative aspects of the budget for counties, the proposal did include AACo's first legislative priority -- the repeal of last year's inmate shift policy.  The budget is far from finalized, but AACo members may feel some relief that both the Executive and Legislative Budget Proposals have given positive treatment to the top issue of the 2012 County Government Platform.

AACo continues to follow the progress of the budget and will keep members informed of any breaking news as it becomes available.  Meanwhile, stay tuned to Capitol Notes, The County Line, and AACo's ongoing series of Legislative Update webinars for the latest news.  Visit AACo's Education Center to hear past webinars and to register for upcoming events.

As more and more public officials enter the world of social media, it is important for county governments to be aware of what their employees and officials are posting, as well as to set guidelines for the use of such media.  AACo has developed a follow-up presentation to its primer for those who are new to the use of social media, explaining the risks and benefits of its use, and how AACo members can best employ it.  Additionally, we have addressed the issue of developing a social media use policy for your office or county. 

With news of a new social media faux pas coming out every week, county governments can't afford to ignore the issue any longer. 

Join AACo this Tuesday, Feb. 28 at noon to learn about how you can safely navigate new media and make your office and county better for it.

REGISTER TODAY!

Reporting gifts and expenditures can be a tricky proposition, especially when every jurisdiction has its own rules.  But current legislation has proposed a more uniform system of financial disclosure for Arizona public employees.  AACo has kept a close eye on this issue and will be presenting  an educational webinar on Friday, March 9th at noon to bring our members up to speed.

REGISTER TODAY!

Did you know that AACo has a YouTube channel?  Did you know that you can get important updates about the Association and issues affecting counties by watching our regular updates there?

The AACo YouTube Channel is a great place to go for video recaps of AACo events, news, and information about opportunities available to you to get the most out of your AACo membership.

The channel is updated at least once a week and features updates from AACo staff, officers, and many more.  Don't miss today's legislative update with Jen Sweeney.