The Ferguson Group Blog

HUD Publishes Notice on Property Available For Homeless

The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) has published a Notice identifying federal buildings and other real property in twenty states that HUD has reviewed for suitability for use to assist the homeless.

Properties are listed in the Notice according to the following categories: suitable/available, suitable/unavailable, and suitable/to be excess, and unsuitable. Properties listed as suitable/available will be available exclusively for homeless use for a period of 60 days from the date of the Notice. Homeless assistance providers interested in any such property should send a written expression of interest to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), addressed to:

Theresa Ritta

Office of Enterprise Support Programs

Program Support Center

HHS, room 12-07

5600 Fishers Lane

Rockville, MD 20857

Ms. Ritta can be reached at (301) 443-2265. HHS will mail to the interested provider an application packet, which will include instructions for completing the application. In order to maximize the opportunity to utilize a suitable property, providers should submit their written expressions of interest as soon as possible.

The Notice, including the list of available properties, is located here:

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/10/04/2013-23925/federal-property-suitable-as-facilities-to-assist-the-homeless

Freight Report Points to Policy Options

This week the “Panel on 21^st Century Freight Transportation” reported to its parent, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, on freight related policy options. The panel, led by Rep. Jimmy Duncan (R-TN) and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), was given a 6-month life to look at freight system needs across the modes, surface and air. The report’s recommendations are made an anticipation of the committee taking up rail and surface transportation authorization bills in the coming year. The report will also be officially shared with USDOT and its internal multimodal freight council. 

Not surprisingly, the need for revenue to support freight infrastructure policy and programs is addressed in the report, though it is hardly a concern limited to freight transport. The report identifies potential avenues to revenue but doesn’t go beyond presenting options. Among the potential revenue sources discussed are increases in existing fees and taxes, such as Customs duties and the Harbor Maintenance Tax. New revenue ideas include a freight waybill tax and a container tax. The 2008 and 2009 official surface transportation commission reports on the topic of freight infrastructure financing are briefly reviewed as are the advantages and limitations of other potential sources identified in the report.

Among the panel's general recommendations to Congress are these:

• Drect USDOT, in coordination with Army and Coast Guard, to establish a comprehensive national freight transportation policy and designate a national, multimodal freight network.
•  Ensure robust public investment in all modes of transportation on which freight movement relies, and incentivize additional private investment in freight transportation facilities, to maintain and improve the condition and performance of the freight transportation network.
• Promote and expedite the development and delivery of projects and activities that improve and facilitate the efficient movement of good.
• Authorize dedicated, sustainable funding for multimodal freight Projects of National and Regional Significance through a grant process and establish clear benchmarks for project selection. 
• Direct USDOT, in coordination with Treasury and Army, to identify and recommend sustainable sources of revenue across all modes of transportation that would provide the necessary investment in the Nation’s multimodal freight network and align contributions with use of, and expected benefit of increased investment in, such network.

More specific recommendations are on such topics, given here with examples, as:

• Planning and Project Delivery -- Require metropolitan and statewide planning agencies to solicit participation of freight stakeholders and affected communicites when setting goals and development improvement plans.
• Shipping and Ports -- Appropriate funds annually from the HMTF in an amount equal to the revenue collected by the Trust Fund and draw down the $7 billion balance of the HMTF, without adversely affecting appropriations for other programs, projects, and activities carried out by USACE for other authorized purposes.
• Highways and Trucking -- Encourage States, localities, and the privatre sector to designate resources for commercial driving training.
• Freight Rail -- Encourage adequate invesetment in rail corridor projects that facilitate freight movement.
• Inland Waterways -- Work with the Secretary of the Army, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, to access financing options for the inland waterways system.
• Air Cargo -- Authorize adequate funding and programmatic support to advance the NextGen air traffic control system.

The report of the Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation is attached.

 

Wednesday News Roundup

 

Every Wednesday, The Ferguson Group blog post a series of articles published over the previous week that discuss topics of interest to local governments. Learn about emerging trends and keep up on key policy issues by browsing the TFG Wednesday News Roundup!

  

Boosting Innovation by Rethinking Government Procurement

The government procurement process-with its long timelines, complex rules and tight guidelines around liability-often scares off some of the best contractors for the job.  Recent efforts in Philadelphia and North Carolina are exploring new methods to procure technology and award contracts, exemplifying the innovative ways state and local governments are trying to make the RFP process more effective and efficient.  Read More…

 

Crop of High-Tech Farmers Sows Results with Apps

Across the country, farmers are relying on new cyber tools to manage manure and fertilizer applications, monitor irrigation systems, coordinate harvests and check the weather and real-time agricultural markets.  These tools digitize information that used to be kept in notebooks and stores it in the cloud, helping farmers keep more accurate records, save money, and share their information with fellow farmers, among numerous other benefits. Read More…

 

Setting a Low Bar for Budget Talks

In the budget conference committee, most members are talking about agreeing to “a number” that both sides can agree on that will solve some part of the sequester in order to allow for economic growth.  Agreeing on a number, however, will be no small task. If you are hoping for the negotiating committee to come up with a grand bargain deal, don’t hold your breath.  Read More…

 

Food-Stamp Benefits Will Drop 5% as 2009 Boost Expires

Come November 1^st, a boost in SNAP benefits included in the 2009 stimulus law will expire, causing an immediate drop in benefits to program recipients. Some households will see a maximum cut of $36 a month, or $300 dollars a year.  To a low-income family, the loss of $36 dollars has a big impact on their budget, and the abrupt end to these higher benefits will make it more difficult for families and individuals to adjust their budgets accordingly.  Read More…

 

Democrats Introduce Bill to End Debt Limit Brinkmanship

On Tuesday, a group of three Democratic Senators introduced legislation to permanently install a procedure on the debt limit that would eliminate the threat of default. However, without Republican support, the Pay Our Bills Act is likely going nowhere fast.  Read More…

 

Testing a Greener Kind of P3

To fund a world-class off-road bike park in the city of Portland, the state of Oregon is testing a new kind of public-private partnership to move the project forward.  The state partnered with crowdfunding site Indiegogo to raise $100,000 for the bike park, putting the idea of crowsourcing by governments to the test.  This new crowdsourcing approach could prove to be an indispensible tool for states and localities looking to fund new parks, energy-efficient retrofits or renewable energies projects where state and federal funding opportunities are limited.  Read More…

 

Governments Improve Service Delivery with Unified Computing

By using a unified computing platform, governments can not only dramatically improve their management, productivity, and support services, but can save a lot of money in reduced hardware and facility costs. Washington State’s King County, for example, saved $700,000 by switching to a unified computing platform, and expects to cut its annual electric bill of $172,000 in half.  Read More…

 

Housing Finance Reform Gets a Jolt of Momentum

For years, lawmakers have been seeking to reduce the role of government in the mortgage market, and now proposals to overhaul the housing finance system are gaining traction in Congress.  Members of the Senate Banking Committee expect to put together a measure based on a bill crafted by Senators Mark Warner and Bob Corker.  Meanwhile, the House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling is moving forward with a plan of his own.  Read More… 

Get Ready To Apply - FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program

The application period for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program opens November 4 and closes December 6, 2013.

The primary goal of the AFG program is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and emergency medical service organizations.  Grants are available for equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

Please follow the links below provided by the AFG website to begin to plan ahead for your application submittal:

• FY 2013 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)  
• FY 2013 AFG Self Evaluation Operations and Safety
• FY 2013 AFG Get Ready Guide Application Narrative
• FY 2013 AFG Self Evaluation Vehicle Acquisition
• FY 2013 AFG Regional Workshop Presentation
• FY 2013 AFG Get Ready Guide Application Information

Will Sebelius Resign?

Facing mounting criticism from multiple corners, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius faces numerous calls from Obamacare critics and opponents to resign.  During a CNN interview that aired last week, she refused to comment on whether she offered the President her resignation.  The landscape for her departure and the confirmation of a replacement would be rocky at best.  Moreover, her replacement would require Senate confirmation, a prospect that the White House and Obamacare abhor.  The White House continues to voice support publicly for Secretary Sebelius and there are no reports that she or the President want her to leave.  

 

Calling all Rural and Small Water and Wastewater Systems!

The EPA and USDA have rolled out two new tools to help rural and small water and wastewater systems provide sustainable services to their communities.  The first, a new Rural and Small Systems Guidebook to Sustainable Utility Management, will help those systems assess their strengths and priorities for potential improvements, and develop an action plan to address these priorities.  

The second, a "Workshop in a Box," contains a series of materials and instructions to help both rural and small systems and service providers market and conduct workshops based on the guidebook.  According to the EPA, “These tools provide utilities with useful, concise reference points for utility managers seeking to improve organization-wide performance. They include a comprehensive management framework related to operations, infrastructure, customer satisfaction, community sustainability, natural re­source stewardship and financial viability.”  Check it out.

Could the Virginia transportation funding model help the Highway Trust Fund?

Congress continues to explore ways to pay for transportation projects as the Highway Trust Fund, which pays for U.S. road, bridge and mass-transit projects, faces insolvency. Revenue into the trust fund, primarily from U.S. fuel taxes, has declined as cars have become more fuel-efficient and Americans are driving less because of higher gasoline prices, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Virginia recently enacted a new transportation plan that replaces Virginia's 17.5 cent-per-gallon tax on gasoline with a new 3.5 percent wholesale tax on gasoline that will keep pace with economic growth and inflation, along with increasing the state’s sales tax. The new wholesale tax is estimated to bring in $5.9 billion for transportation projects over the next five years. The idea of a wholesale tax on motor fuels would likely solve one of the central problems facing the Highway Trust Fund by naturally adjusting for inflation. Taxing a percentage of wholesale motor fuels costs would boost revenue as prices rise without forcing lawmakers to revisit the question to raise taxes.

While some lawmakers support raising the motor fuels tax, it has been difficult to gain enough congressional support to raise taxes. Other proposals to offset the Highway Trust Fund have included introducing a percentage highway fee that is paid for at the factory level or a vehicle-mileage tax.

 

Wednesday News Roundup

Tech,Telecom Policy Stuck in Neutral
The technology and telecommunications industries have been waiting for Congress to make moves on immigration, cyber security and wired communications infrastructure legislation for years, and now in the midst of continuing budget battles, it looks like they are going to have to keep waiting.  Read More…

Balloon for Emergency Communications:  Not Just Hot Air
When you think of hot-air balloons, the “future of disaster and emergency relief efforts” probably isn’t the first thought that comes to mind.  But for NASA and several private sector tech and research firms, balloons are being tested to possibly aid in disaster relief efforts, from shipping cargo to being the source of emergency wireless communications platforms.  Read More…

At Airports, a Sudden Shift in Who’s Handling Some Security
Beginning in January 2014, airports themselves will have to pay for the security personnel at airport exit lanes instead of the federal government, in a move that will save the Department of Homeland Security $88.1 million in its 2014 budget.  It may save the feds money, but the airport industry says the shift could cost airport facilities more than $200 million a year.  Read More…

Higher Oil, Gas Output Caused by More Efficient Wells, Energy Report Says
A report released by the Energy Information Administration Tuesday found that the main drivers for the recent growth in domestic oil and natural gas production are due to the increases in drilling efficiency and new well productivity, rather than just an increase in active rigs. Much of this growth comes from a
boom in hydraulic fracturing, a practice that has prompted a strong resistance from environmental and public health groups who are concerned about pollution and public health risks. Read More…

Ready to Rumble Over the Farm Bill
With House and Senate conference committees chosen and political stances taken, negotiations over the farm bill will surely be “…the biggest spectacle in American agricultural and nutrition policy in decades,” writes one National Journal reporter.  The first meeting between the committees is expected to take place the week of October 28.  Read More… 
 

EfficientGov Webcast: Unveiling of the New GrantProfiler and GrantWriter Solutions

EfficientGov is hosting an informative 30 minute webcast on a new suite of innovative grant services designed exclusively for local governments. The webcast will be held on Thursday, October 24^th from 1:00pm to 1:30pm EST and will focus on three key grants related services including: 

GrantProfiler- This new grant profiling service includes a comprehensive demographic and economic analysis for local municipalities and connects them to federal grant opportunities for which they are most eligible so they can focus on real opportunities for funding.

GrantWriter – EfficientGov’s new GrantWriter service will match municipalities with qualified, certified and successful grant writers.

GrantFinder – GrantFinder is the most cost-effective searchable database of 2,500+ active federal, state, corporate and foundation grants available to local governments.

The Ferguson Group is excited to be a presenter during the webcast and encourages everyone to log in and learn more about these exciting new services. Sign up for the webinar here.

USDA Promoting Farm Bill Benefits

The USDA is ramping up its social media campaign to tout the benefits of Farm Bill-authorized programs, especially as they promote job growth and retention and advance agricultural research around the nation. They are inviting stakeholders to help drive this social media campaign by using the hashtag #MyFarmBill and asking them to share stories of how the #MyFarmBill impacts them.  Twitter, Facebook,, Instagram, YouTube, and others. A guide to suggested methods can be gleaned from videos, photos and tweets that you can view here. The current Farm Bill expired in September but it's impact has been staggered. Dairy farmers have raised the ire of impending increases in mike prices, what they call the "dairy cliff."  USDA programs will slowly shut down in the absence of a Farm Bill exptension or full scale reauthorization.