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State Funding Outlook for Locally-Administered Programs. James J. Regimbal Jr. Fiscal Analytics, Ltd February 9, 2012. Increasing Reliance on Non-General Fund Revenues. NGF*. 2.
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State Funding Outlook for Locally-Administered Programs James J. Regimbal Jr. Fiscal Analytics, Ltd February 9, 2012
Increasing Reliance on Non-General Fund Revenues NGF* 2 * Federal funds, higher education tuition & fees, other fees, unemployment insurance taxes, institutional revenue, etc
State Aid is Falling For Localities Source: APA Comparative Reports on Local Revenues and Expenditures, Fiscal Years 2000-2010 3
State Assistance % of GF for Locally-Administered Programs Continuing to Decline 4 4
While Local Revenues Continue to Suffer Source: 1990-2010, Auditor of Public Accounts FY 11 & 12 estimates from VML/VACO 2011 Fiscal Survey 5 5 5
Important to Keep a Mix of Local Revenues • Locals dependheavily on real estate taxes Note: BPOL is the Business, Professional and Occupational License Tax. M&T is the Machinery and Tools Tax 6 Source: Auditor of Public Accounts Comparative Report of Revenues and Expenditures
Most Local Government Expenditures are Mandated or Regulated by the State 7 7 Source: Auditor of Public Accounts Comparative Report of Revenues and Expenditures
Little New K-12 GF Spending in Introduced Budget Above FY 2012 Base* * FY 12 “Base” funding annualizes part-year and removes one-time funding, such as $87.7 mil. appropriated for supplemental support. ** Does not include $28 mil. per year in Executive Amendments, primarily K-3 class size and early reading initiative funding. 9 9
Proposed 2012-14 K-12 Policy Changes Add to List of Recent SOQ Reductions* • Eliminate Non-personal Inflation Update – ($109.0) • - Did not fund inflation in 2010-12 biennium either. • Modify Federal Revenue Deduction Calculation for Federal Stimulus Funding – ($108.1) • Eliminate Support Cost-of-Competing Adjustment – ($65.0) • VPI: Use Kindergarten as a Proxy for 4 Year-olds – ($26.7) * Recent previous biennia reductions included: a funding cap on support positions, eliminating recognition of other SOQ support costs, increasing the federal deduct from 29% to 38% for support costs, changing funding assumptions for health care premiums, eliminating enrollment loss and support for construction, etc. (for further details see: http://hac.virginia.gov/committee/files/2010/11-16-10/Public_Education_Update.pdf
Includes GF, lottery profits, miscellaneous NGF, and state appropriated federal stimulus funds 11
Reasons the StateIs Restoring Little to Core Local-AidProgram Funding • Revenues not growing as fast as usual coming out of a recession (under 5% revenue growth expected in 2012-14). Tax changes reducing revenues. Concern over potential impact of federal deficit reductions. • Rainy Day Fund must be restored– Half of any GF revenue growth above prior 6-yr. avg. (2% now) goes to RDF. • 3. VRS contribution rates for teachers and state employees will be significantly increased. • 4. Medicaid spending continues to grow faster than state revenues. 2014 impact of federal health care big unknown, but law as written would add up to 425,000 new Medicaid recipients. • Use of one-time revenues/savings/debt in recession have to be replaced with ongoing revenues just to keep current spending. • - Debt only capital program has long-term consequences. • 6. Increasing efforts to use general funds for transportation. 12
General Fund Tax Changes Have More Than Neutralized 2004 Tax Increase 14 14
Retirement Rates Will Rise Notes: Employer rates only and do not include 5% member contribution. Over the last 10 years ending June 30, 2011 VRS annual average total fund investment return has been 5.7%. 15
K-12 Medicaid (DMAS)
Non-Recurring Recession Revenues No Longer Available • State Appropriated Federal Stimulus Funding - $2.8 billion • Reduced VRS state employee and teacher retirement/OPEB benefit contributions - $850 mil. • Rainy Day Fund Withdrawals- $783 mil. • Replaced Capital Outlay Cash With Debt - $350 mil. • Accelerated Sales Tax for Dealers - $227 mil. • Captured NGF balances and interest earnings - $113 mil. • Tax Amnesty - $102 mil. • Eliminated Sales Tax Dealer Discount for Electronic Filers - $98 mil. 18 18 18
Governor’s Transportation Proposal Would Divert Significant General Funds (HB 1248/SB 639) • Phase-in of additional 0.25% sales tax to transportation: $54 mil. in FY 13 increasing to $300+ mil. by FY 20. • Dedicates one percent of general fund if growth is above five percent – potentially over $170 mil./yr. • Increases dedication of GF surplus from 67% to 75% (FY 2011 surplus yielded $67 mil.). • Creates transportation improvement districts whereby projects are partially funded using growth in state general funds from that district.
Conclusion • State policymakers do not seem to understand the fiscal condition of localities when they propose: - Using GF to help solve transportation needs. - Proposing reductions in local revenue sources - such as exempting new equipment for 3 years for M&T tax purposes. - Increasing locality costs of providing services through a constitutional amendment on eminent domain. • Little restoration of state aid proposed for 2012-14 and continued depressed real estate assessments mean local budgets will remain under pressure for foreseeable future. - Little new K-12 funding proposed, except for retirement system, even though localities already spend $3.2 billion per year above their required local effort. - Local share of teacher retirement costs could increase $350 m per year – further straining school division budgets.