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Fayetteville council urges state to preserve Powell Bill funding
Summary
Council voted unanimously to send a resolution to the General Assembly asking that municipal Powell Bill street-preservation funding be preserved after a Senate draft would have cut allocations for larger cities.
Fayetteville City Council on April 28 approved a resolution urging the North Carolina General Assembly to preserve Powell Bill funding that the city uses for street repaving and preservation.
The resolution, introduced by Assistant City Manager Jody Phelps, asks the city’s legislative delegation and other lawmakers to retain the current formula for Powell Bill allocations after a Senate draft budget proposed eliminating or cutting aid to municipalities with populations above 50,000. “We want to make sure we get this in the hands of the members of the General Assembly this week so that we have time,” Phelps said during the council discussion.
The city estimated Powell Bill receipts last year at about $6.9 million; the assistant city manager told council that the Senate’s change could reduce that funding for Fayetteville and similar-sized cities. Phelps said the city coordinated the resolution with a state lobby consultant and other large North Carolina cities, including Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro and Winston-Salem, to press for bipartisan support.
Council members discussed sending the resolution both to the local delegation and to other members of the House and Senate to highlight the program’s importance for roadway and pedestrian safety and economic development. Councilman Benavente asked for a memo to accompany the resolution showing prior uses of Powell Bill funds and specific negative impacts on local services if the funding were cut; Phelps said staff would supply that documentation.
The council approved the resolution on the consent agenda. Motion to approve was made by Councilman Thompson, seconded by Councilman Mahir; the motion carried unanimously.
The city will transmit the resolution to the full delegation and to other legislators as part of an outreach campaign tied to the budget process in Raleigh.
