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Statement of we. 6. Colman, Executive Director
Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations
Before The
Subcommittee on Treasury, Post Office and Executive Office
Rouse Appropriations Committee
March 19, 1968
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee.
My name is William G. Colman and I an appearing today in behalf of
the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, the agency which
I have served as Executive Director for the past seven years. With me
are John Shannon, Assistant Director for Taxation and Finance and
Elton K. McQuery, Assistant Director for Program Implementation.
The Commission was created by Public Law 380 of the 86th Congress.
It is charged with studying of problsnm and relationships among Federal,
State and local governments and with developing recommendations for in-
proving these relationships. As you know, the Commission includes three
members from this house, Congressman Fountain, Congresswoman Dwyer,
Congressmen Ullman; three members of the Senate, Senators Muskie, Ervin
and Hundt; three members from the Executive Branch, four governors and
13 other state legislative, county, municipal and public members.
The appropriation request for the 1969 fiscal year is $551,000, an
increase of $41,000 over the amount--$Sl0,000--originslly appropriated
for the current fiscal year. It should be noted that this $510,000 of
new obligational authority for the current fiscal year has been reduced
by $19,000 which represents 21 of the amount budgeted for personnel and 101
of the amount budgeted for other purposes. However, an amount of $13,000
is to be included in a supplemental appropriation request for the present
fiscal year to cover salary increases authorized by Congress. With these
adjustments total obligations for the current fiscal year are estimated
at $504,000.
The statutory purposes and operations of the Commission were sub-
jected to a thorough review during the 89th Congress by the respective
Subcommittees on Intergovernmental Relations of the House and Senate
Committees on Government Operations. Both the House and Senate reports
emphasized the need for the Cmmmission to take an even more active role
in identifying and analyzing current intergovernmental problems, in
fostering wider understanding of these problems and the ways in which
they may be ameliorated, and in implementing the Commission's recommenda-
tions. During the current fiscal year the Commission has moved to carry
out the suggestions of the Subcommittees. These efforts have been re-
flected in an increase workload during the present fiscal year and the
workload is expected to be somewhat greater in fiscal 1969.
The additional funds requested for next year will provide a stock-
room assistant to handle the increase volume of publication shipments. It
will cover the first step of the increase in personal compensation autho.
rised by Congress at the close of the last session. It will provide some
additional funds for printing of Comission reports to fill an expanded
demand. And it will provide additional travel funds for meetings and
hearings held outside of washington.
During the current fiscal year the Commission has completed a
comprehensive study of fiscal balance in the American federal system. The
Study encompassed the size, shape and significant features of fiscal feder-
alism; the history, development and present operation of the Federal grant-
in-aid system; fiscal disparities among local government jurisdictions
within metropolitan areas; and in-depth case studies of central city-
suburban disparities in twelve selected metropolitan areas.
In addition, the Advisory Commission now is completing a study of
the intergovernmental aspects of the many policy questions associated with
urban growth and new conmunity development. During the past several years
it has become increasingly evident that some new and hard looks need to be
taken at population trends in the United States as they affect the future
placement of population. The ACIR study is a major effort in this direction.
At its last meeting the Comiasion selected two new intergovernmental
problems for study and analysis. One is "State Aid to local Governments;
the second is "Intergovernmental Responsibilities for Medicaid." Prelimi-
nary work on these studies now is getting underway.
We are pleased to report, Mr. Chairman, that the Commission's pro-
posals continue to receive favorable cansideration. The Commission's
Ninth Annual Report issued earlier this year summarises the progress that
has been made.
We are particularly encouraged by the record of State legislative
action to improve intergovernmental relations. As you know, where it is
appropriate recoemendations of the Advisory Commission for State legisla-
tion action are translated into draft hill form and offered to the States
for their consideration. During the last tun years, 1966 and 1967, 64 of
the 50 States enacted legislation similar to or embodying provisions of
these bills drafted by A01! to implement the Comiasion's reconsendations.
Not all commission recommendations for State action, however, can
readily be translated into "model" bills. In these instances policy state-
ments are prepared for consideration by the States. During the 1966-67
period 38 of the 50 States enacted legislation consistent with such policy
statements.
All in all, A? of the 50 States, during the past biennium have
enacted legislation parallel to or consistent with draft bills or policy
statements reflecting Advisory Cosnusaion rec0mmendations for State action.
The Connission's reports and recommendations appear to be having
a significant impact in the difficult field of intergovernmental relations.
He are being called upon increasingly for assistance and consultation by
officials at all levels of government, by public and private interest
groups concerned with intergovernmental problems and by those engaged in
academic research.
In closing, Mr. Chairman, let me report another development of
interest to the suchmmdttee. Following the review of Commission operations
by the house and Senate Subcommittees on Intergovernmental Relations, the
Congress approved an amendment authorising the Commission to accept contri-
butions from State and local governments. This is in line with the recom-
mendation of the (Runnission and views expressed by members of Congress and
others that the Commission's financial support-vas well as its membership--
should be intergovernmental in character.
Accordingly, earlier this year Commission Chairman Bryant wrote to
the governors of all States calling their attention to the new statutory
provision and suggesting that each State consider making a voluntary
annual token contribution of $1,000 to the Advisory Commission. Thus
far about three-fifths of the governors have responded. Two $1,000 contri-
butions have been received. It appears that the Commission may receive
$5,000 to $10,000 from this source during Fiscal '69 and a larger amount
in Fiscal '70--many of the governors indicated that they would request
consideration of this proposal by their legislatures when they meet early
next year. If the response from the States is sufficiently encouraging,
it is planned that large cities and urban counties will be asked to con-
sider making similar, but somewhat smaller, voluntary, annual contributions.
Funds receiVed from these sources will be used mainly to strengthen the
services provided by the Cosmission for State and local governments.
The amendment mentioned above also authorises the Comission to
accept funds from nonprofit organizations. Re are exploring the possibility
of securing grants from private foundations for research and other Com-
mission activities, houever, thus far, no such grants have been received.
This concludes our statement. we will be glad to answer any
questions.
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