What are some of the big problems facing county government today?
Mandates A new county commissioner taking office may discover that many decisions affecting his or her term have already been made. State and federal law mandates many of the activities of county government. Often, local government mandates are passed without funding by state and federal lawmakers. Some examples of unfunded mandates are those setting requirements for waste management, treatment of prisoners, providing disabled citizens with easy access to government buildings, drug and alcohol testing for commercial drivers license holders, environmental requirements for road and bridge projects, and training for various personnel. So, before promising to eliminate this program or that program, make sure it is not legally mandated by the federal or state government. General Fund Revenue Sources Paying the bill for mandates is just part of a bigger challenge that commissioners face-raising the revenue to pay for all the services that county government performs. Citizens these days expec
