ARCIT Policy Priorities
(Working Document)
Community Development
• Maintain the integrity of the HOME federal funds program to serve the single family homeowner needs of Rural Texas -TDHCA
• Facilitate a working group to establish a Rural Affordable Housing Policy See Advisory Committees-CDAC
• Maintain the integrity of the Community Development Block Grant at the Federal Level
• Work with state agencies on fair and efficient distribution of federal dollars for rural communities such as CDBG, HOME
• Restore the Texas Recreation and Parks Account (TRPA) Funding back to $15 million (prior to 78th Texas Legislature) from its current $5 million (79th Texas Legislature) -accomplished
* Retain the Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP) administered by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) that has over 505 different enhancement projects since 1991 distributing over $466 million downtown streetscape projects, visitor centers, historic preservation porjects and hike/bike trails revitalizing local economies - Tx DOT; Rural Bill Tracking Chart for 80th Tx Legislature
Economic Development
• Maintenance of the new law change accomplished in the 79th Texas Legislature (HB 2928 Kolkhorst/Senate Sponsor Seliger) allowing local governments 20,000 and under to choose to use their 4B Economic Sales Tax to encourage business development growth
• Review the rural economic development tools from the federal and state level in order to assess if any needed programmatic or/legislative changes
• Develop a working group of rural stakeholders to look at establishing a rural economic development fund See Advisory Committees-REDAC.
Environmental Issues
• Improve local official input through establishment of a local official advisory committee with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Accomplished April, 2006. Committee meets with TCEQ quarterly in order to proactively identify and solve programmatic and rule challenges. See Advisory Committees—TCEQ LOAC
* Allow the use of utility penatly money paid by communities to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to go toward fixing the deficiency or address other deficiencies in the facilities -Rural Bill Tracking Chart for 80th Tx Legislature-HB 147 (Phillips) - accomplished
State Program Administration
• Partner with TDHCA regarding the HOME program, Area Housing Needs Score and Regional Allocation Formula to ensure programs are rural friendly TDHCA
• Partner with the Texas Department of Agriculture(TDA) regarding rural economic development programs - TDA
• Be a local official resource regarding the Sunset bill for ORCA during the 80th Texas Legislature to establish Rural Local Officials on the governing board or advisory committee to advise on rural policies/programs See ORCA Sunset Process. Accomplished - 80th Texas Legislature
• Proactively work with TCEQ through the ARCIT Local Official Advisory Committee in order to identify and solve programmatic and rule challenges. See Advisory Committees--TCEQ- LOAC
Expand Advocacy Network
• Establish the Alliance for Rural Texas (ART) to include all associations and stakeholders with rural issues to become a more comprehensive rural resource to state government
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