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California counties already do so much for the people we serve. Counties provide for public safety and public health; we make sure buildings and restaurants are safe. Counties maintain roads and bridges, although we could use a little more help from the state in that regard. The point is, counties and county employees already do a great deal for those they serve, but I am greatly inspired by Sacramento County employees who have stepped up to contribute some of their own personal money to help people and organizations in need.

(CSAC is hosting a panel discussion this Wednesday, January 25, on potential effects to counties if the ACA is repealed. Register for the online discussion here.)

The past several weeks have been an emotional roller coaster on so many levels because of the presidential election, especially when I think about health care for the residents in our communities. I am filled with anxiety, but also resolve to do everything I can to make sure that the great strides in health care we’ve made over the last decade are not lost.

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The best county programs address an intractable problem with an innovative, sustainable, and collaborative solution that gets to the heart of the matter—or in the case of Amador County—to the “root” of the matter.  They take oral health care seriously in Amador County because the water isn’t fluoridated. Now, maybe that doesn’t sound like a huge problem, but tooth decay and cavities are nothing to smile about, and fluoride protects teeth—especially children’s teeth—from those preventable problems.

As 2016 comes to a close, I am grateful for the opportunity to engage in meaningful, important work with the CSAC staff and the County Supervisors, Administrators and other leaders at the state and federal level. I count myself very lucky to consider you a group of friends as well as colleagues. That’s especially important because, often, our work involves complex issues. So while I pause to enjoy the traditions of this season with friends and loved ones, I do so knowing that we accomplished a lot in 2016.

One of an elected official’s most important responsibilities is oversight of agency finances. In an effort to assist local officials with this important duty, The Institute for Local Government (ILG) recently updated the resource “Understanding the Basics of County and City Revenues.” CSAC is one of ILG’s parent organizations.

The State gas tax has been a declining source of revenue to maintain roads and bridges in California since it was last increased in 1994. We have lost approximately 50 percent of the buying power of the fuel tax due to the fact that it has not kept up with inflation and advancements in fuel efficiency. Even more drastic is the actual reduction of revenues in the past two years, amounting to an annual loss of more than 30 percent of the funds used to maintain roads and bridges in California. We are seeing this loss in dramatic fashion here in Stanislaus County.

One of the best things about being the President of CSAC is hosting our Annual Meeting coming up in Palm Springs in Riverside County. CSAC’s leadership and staff have put a lot of thought and effort into making this a great meeting and the only thing I can think of that would make it any better is for you to decide to attend, if you haven’t already done so. It runs the week after Thanksgiving, from November 29 through December 1.

To watch a short video about this program, click here.

At the junction of Highways 120 and 6 in eastern Mono County – 37 miles from Bishop and 51 from Lee Vining — sits the isolated, rural community of Benton. There is little evidence left of Benton’s rich mining history. The town is now home to either 164 or 282 residents — depending on which state sign you believe when you enter the town. The Benton Paiute Reservation is just a few miles away.  The surrounding region, sitting more than 5,700 feet above sea level under the towering Mt. Montgomery, is desolate yet beautiful.

Local officials and staff play a vital role in the wellness, health and safety of California’s children and families. To address health and social disparities, counties are looking to build upon innovative methods to maximize finite economic and human resources. Specifically, agencies and staff are using collective impact approaches to create healthier and more vibrant communities. By leveraging collaborations and partnerships for shared services, joint use or proactive program planning, counties may achieve results greater than any one agency could achieve on its own.