TIC Not to Vote to End Funding for Southside VirginiaRESOLUTION
2007-OS-44
WHEREAS, the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization
Commission was created by the General Assembly in 1999 to compensate tobacco
farmers for the decline of tobacco quotas and to promote economic growth and
development in tobacco dependent communities; and
WHEREAS, the Southside Economic Development Committee of the Tobacco
Commission developed a policy to allocate funds to each county in Southside Virginia by
a formula that takes into account tobacco production, job losses, economic development
impact and warehouse designations; and
WHEREAS, this funding formula met the established. goals of the founding
legislation to revitalize "tobacco dependent communities" and to promote economic
growth and development in tobacco dependent communities in an "equitable manner", to
assist such communities in reducing their dependency on tobacco and tobacco related
business; and
WHEREAS, in the year 2007 the Tobacco Commission is considering ending the
use of a funding allocation formula that considers the level of historical tobacco
dependency and economic development impact; and
WHEREAS, the original funding formula equitably allocates economic
development funds and allows localities to follow long-range development plans and
carry forward funding allocations until necessary development plans are completed; and
WHEREAS, the original funding formula allows for infrastructure development
projects that are vital to the economic transformation of Southside Virginia; and
WHEREAS, the Tobacco Commission has a skilled staff to help develop
appropriate grant applications, to review and evaluate applications, to develop specific
guidelines and strategic plans and the committees of the Commission have the full
authority to only approve acceptable grant application requests; and
WHEREAS, the Tobacco Commission currently has available programs to fund
large-scale regionally important projects through a Special Projects fund that is not
allocated by a formula based on the level of tobacco dependency; and
WHEREAS, the Tobacco Commission also has the following programs available
outside of the Southside allocation formula: Agribusiness, Tobacco Region Opportunity
Fund, Education, Technology and Small Business Financing; and
WHEREAS, the securitization of the Tobacco Settlement Funds represents a
change in the funding mechanism that may lower the amount of funds available for
economic development in Southside Virginia, the commission will still have an annual
budget that will continue to be compatible with the existing funding allocation formula;
and
WHEREAS, the continued existence of this regionally important funding
program will depend on its justification as a unique and independent program that is
specifically chartered to address tobacco dependency and the existing funding formula
best addresses the specific mission of this Commission by having a basis for funding
allocations; and
WHEREAS, ending the targeting of economic development funds based on the
loss of tobacco production and related jobs may weaken the relationship of the
Commission to its original mission; and
WHEREAS, the current funding formula is consistent with the Commonwealth's
emphasis on performance based budgeting by documenting the Commission's progress
towards relieving tobacco dependency and replacing tobacco related jobs in the areas
with the greatest economic impact and through documented adherence with the strategic
plan developed by the Commission; then
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of Pittsylvania
County is very appreciative of the good working relationship we have had with the
Tobacco Commission and fully recognize the great economic benefits provided to our
tobacco dependent community by the Commission, and that we respectfully request that
the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission not vote to end
the original funding formula for economic development in Southside Virginia that is
based on tobacco production, job losses, economic development impact and warehouse
designations, and that Pittsylvania County welcomes any opportunity to work with the
Commission to refine policies, procedures and guidelines to better achieve its important
mission.
Given under my hand this day, May 15, 2007.
Coy E. rville, Chairman
Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors
William D. Sleeper, Clerk ~~'
Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors