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A
full-time Intergovernmental Relations Office (I-GRO)
was established with the hiring of an Intergovernmental
Realtions Manager.
The
City Board approved a 1999 legislative agenda that
include ten legislative initiatives.
The
City submitted ten of the original thirty-three resolution
presented to the Arkansas Municipal League (AML) Resolution
Committee at the AML 64th Annual Convention.
The
I-GRO has directed the preparation of over 20 grant
applications. I-GRO played a significant role in the
Pulaski County collaborative effort for a ten year
$100 million Empowerment Zone economic development
application.
The
City was awarded over $8 million in public and private
grants during 1998.
Legislative
Activities
- Executed
the City's established legislative agenda process
during the 83rd Arkansas General Assembly and actively
pursued the passage of 20 City sponsored bills,
supported the passage of 137 additional bills, and
actively opposed 93 bills.
- The
Mayor, City Board, and legislative staff worked
very closely with the Arkansas Municipal League,
and the Pulaski County Legislative delegation. This
highly effective coalition passed 15 (75%) of the
City sponsored bills, 97 (73%) of City supported
bills became law, and 69 (77%) of the bills opposed
by the City failed to pass.
- The
significant new acts included: Arkansas State Fair
Housing; Consolidation of LR/NLR Water Systems;
Storm Water Utility; Amendment One: Redevelopment
Districts/TIF's and Short-Term Financing; Arkansas
Small Business Tax Credit Act of 2001; Lowering
the Blood Alcohol Content Limit to 0.8; and Municipal
Uniform Citation Form.
- Legislative
staff refined and improved the City's bill tracking
and monitoring system. Each City department designated
a legislative contact to monitor and provide impact
assessment of bills that affect their department
revenue or operations. City staff assessed over
2,643 bills during the Arkansas 83rd General Assembly.
For a detailed list of Little Rock's legislative
items click CLR Legislative Agenda.
Grants
Development
- The
regional grant approach was utilized to collaborate
with North Little Rock, Pulaski County, and University
of Arkansas Little Rock that resulted in our designation
as an Empowerment Zone by the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development.
- The
City Manager renegotiated a 24-month contract with
a national professional competitive grant-writing
firm. Randall Funding and Development will identify
and pursue $1,000,000 in new competitive grant funding.
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