The House Ways and Means Committee met this week to complete its work on the first iteration of the FY2021-22 general fund budget. This version is very significant and will serve as the base budget upon which the final state budget will be based. In adopting this funding plan, the committee increased funding to the Local Government Fund (LGF) by $17,624,049 statewide. This represents full funding to the LGF including all back funding that was imperiled because of the state operating under a Continuing Resolution in light of the ongoing pandemic.

The onset of Covid-19 presented the newly-adopted LGF formula with its first major funding challenge. In previous years it would have come as no surprise for the budget writing committees to use such a significant event to deviate from the LGF funding formula. SCAC is happy to report that not only did this not occur, the Ways and Means Committee worked continuously with SCAC staff to ensure that every dollar of funding due to the LGF was included in the first budget passed since the beginning of the pandemic.

Please thank the members of the House Ways and Means Committee for keeping their promise to counties and the Local Government Fund and working to return much needed funding to county government throughout the state. SCAC staff will be providing a county-by-county breakdown of the increased funding with this week’s Friday Report. Please contact SCAC staff with any questions.