Bill Overview
Title: Local Assistance Fairness Act
Description: This bill expands eligibility for the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund to revenue-sharing consolidated governments. (The Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund is a general revenue enhancement program that provides additional assistance to eligible counties and tribal governments for any governmental purpose except lobbying.)
Sponsors: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Target Audience
Population: People living in areas covered by the Local Assistance Fairness Act
Estimated Size: 30000000
- The bill affects revenue-sharing consolidated governments, which usually refers to administrative bodies that receive shared federal or state revenue.
- The Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund is typically aimed at counties and tribal governments, so the expanded eligibility will include these as well as additional types of local governments.
- The impact is largely on government operations and spending potential, which indirectly impacts citizens within those jurisdictions.
- Every person living or working in the affected jurisdictions is a direct stakeholder, as changes in funding can affect public services, infrastructure, and community programs.
Reasoning
- The bill primarily supports administrative bodies, such as revenue-sharing consolidated governments, increasing their funding for public services and projects, which can indirectly benefit citizens within those jurisdictions.
- The policy's budget constraints must be taken into account; not all areas will receive equal amounts of funding, and the funding increase might be considerable for smaller counties but less noticeable in populous areas.
- A variety of perspectives on the policy should be included, representing not just potential major beneficiaries like tribal areas or rural counties but also individuals in urban settings where budgetary impacts may be smaller.
- The Cantril wellbeing scores are meant to project subjective wellbeing over time and address how funding reallocations might enhance or stabilize community amenities and services, thus affecting citizen satisfaction and general feelings of prosperity.
Simulated Interviews
Public School Teacher (Tulsa County, OK)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the local government gets more revenue, it could improve funding for our schools.
- I hope this means more support for educational initiatives and perhaps better wages for teachers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Small Business Owner (Orange County, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This might not directly impact my business, but better funded local programs could attract more customers.
- I'll support anything that betters our neighborhood, even if indirectly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
College Student (Missoula County, MT)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If these funds lead to better public services or lower tuition through state programs, it could positively influence my college experience.
- I hope some of this funding goes towards supporting educational infrastructure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Retiree (Navajo Nation, AZ)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is great news, as any additional funding could enhance healthcare services critical for us retirees.
- I'm hopeful for improvements in local healthcare facilities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Police Officer (Fresno County, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy allows for better allocation of resources towards public safety initiatives and community outreach.
- Increased funding might improve equipment and personnel support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Healthcare Worker (Harris County, TX)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could mean better support for our clinic and improved community health benefits.
- I'm looking forward to seeing tangible improvements for the healthcare industry in local contexts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
City Planner (Cook County, IL)
Age: 56 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With more funds, we could pursue more ambitious infrastructure projects earlier.
- I look forward to utilizing any additional support for sustainable developments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Social Worker (Robeson County, NC)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- An increase or improvement in funding could enable better resources for our tribe's welfare programs.
- I'm optimistic about potential positive changes to our community structure and resource availability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Casino Worker (Clark County, NV)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While the impact might be minimal personally, any increase in local government resources is welcome.
- I'd like to see how this affects our community at large.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Tribal Council Member (Cherokee, NC)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This Act expands an important funding source, reinforcing our community's self-sufficiency.
- Our focus will be on efficiently directing these resources to enhance health, education, and housing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $50500000 (Low: $40500000, High: $60500000)
Year 3: $51005000 (Low: $41005000, High: $61005000)
Year 5: $52000000 (Low: $42000000, High: $62000000)
Year 10: $55000000 (Low: $45000000, High: $65000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Key Considerations
- The exact impact will depend on how newly eligible entities utilize the funds and the scale of their revenue-sharing agreements.
- Potential variability exists across different jurisdictions' abilities to effectively leverage the funding for economic growth.
- While the expanded funding may relieve operational finance pressures, it does not inherently guarantee improved outcomes without effective governance.