County Commission | The Magazine April 2017 | Page 30

NEWS YOU CAN USE
Equipping You to Better Serve Your County
By The Hon. Bryan Desloge
new faces to all
2017 brings
levels of government,
and thousands of leaders are beginning
new roles in county government. To
those leaving county government,
thank you for your service. To those
beginning or continuing county service,
we look forward to your participation in
the National Association of Counties
(NACo) in the coming year.
For many of you, this may be
your first time holding public office.
More than a decade ago, I was in the
same position when I was first elected
to the Leon County, Fla., Board of
Commissioners.
In my early days as a
commissioner, just as my state
association proved to be invaluable,
I quickly learned that NACo was also
tremendously helpful. Through unique
services, resources and programs,
NACo empowered me to be a more
effective county leader, and I know
NACo will equip you to better serve
your county. Here’s a quick snapshot of
what we’re doing at the national level to
keep counties healthy, vibrant and safe.
Federal Advocacy
Washington, D.C., may seem
distant and unrelated to your day-to-day
responsibilities, but decisions made by
the White House, Congress and federal
courts have major, cascading impacts
30 | COUNTY COMMISSION
on our ability to lead our communities
and pursue a better future. Federal
legislation, regulations and unfunded
mandates can significantly affect
county budgets and our residents’ lives.
NACo adeptly represents our
nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes and
boroughs in our intergovernmental
system and offers resources to keep
county officials informed and engaged
on issues important to our residents.
County News (www.naco.org/news),
your print and online newspaper,
connects you to counties across the
nation. Policy briefs, reports and
other resources can be found at
www.NACo.org/advocacy.
NACo also gives its members the
opportunity to be directly involved in the
federal policy process. More than 1,300
members serve on NACo committees,
boards and caucuses that address a
wide variety of issues.
Through our 10 policy steering
committees, members set NACo’s
agenda and legislative priorities. In
2016, our members testified before
Congress on key legislative and
regulatory issues facing counties
and represented counties on more
than 50 federal task forces and
advisory groups.
NACo is truly elevating county
voices in Washington, D.C., and I
encourage you to get involved by
joining a policy committee.
Resou