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ORANGE CUUNTY <br />BOARD OF C4MM1SS14NERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: April 5, 2011 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. -- <br />SUBJECT: Resolution Supporting Public Health Funding through State Local Aid to County <br />DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: ~YIN~ No <br />ATTACHMENT~S~: INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Resolution Rosemary Summers, 245-2411 <br />PURPOSE: Ta consider a resolution supporting public health funding through state Local Aid to <br />Gountyfunds. <br />BACKGROUND: The NC Division of Public Health provides federal pass-through and state <br />funds to local health departments for a variety of programs that are either mandated or optional. <br />With the exception of the Local Aid to County funds, all funds are categorical and restricted to <br />be spent in the program for which they are designated. Traditionally this has been and remains <br />a very small amount of funding, a total of $11.4 million statewide, with the first increases since <br />1912 allocated in 2408 and 2009. This is the only flexible funding provided by the state and is <br />intended to improve health at the local level by providing resources to address locally identified <br />gaps in services and community needs including infrastructure needs. <br />The NC Association of Local Health Directors and the Orange County. Board of Health approved <br />resolutions in March opposing cuts to Aid to County funds to local health departments, The <br />Board of Health is requesting that the Board of Commissioners consider approving a resolution <br />as well and take an active role in discussing this with the Orange County legislative delegation. <br />In addition to this resolution, the Board may wish to consider advocating for the following <br />revenue sources with the General Assembly: <br />1) Adopt the recommended user tobacco tax of $1 per pack (from the NC Alliance <br />for Health) which would offset future health expenditures and would increase <br />revenue that could be directed to local public health. <br />2) Allow local health departments to charge cost-based fees for public health <br />protection/safety in food and lodging establishments. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: Governor Beverly Perdue's budget recommended a ~60% reduction in <br />General Aid to County funds and a 100% reduction `rn environmental health Aid to County <br />funds. Recent discussions in the General Assembly have included eliminating all of this <br />