Sample News Release (Word)



SAMPLE COUNTY NEWS RELEASE The sample news release below notes all six 2019 priorities with a concentration on the number one priority – election equipment and voting systems. Below that are add-on sections you can choose to cut and paste for each of the other five priorities. Use the sections as you see fit and include examples of how your county is affected or create separate news releases or editorials.<<<Place on county letterhead>>>County Contact: Name, phone number, email_______________ County Officials Announce 2019 County Government Legislative Priorities(____________ County, Pa.) -- __________ County officials today shared their support for the six 2019 county government priorities recently selected by county leaders across the state, which also reflect __________ County’s own priorities to improve their communities and the lives of their residents. “These priorities demonstrate the wide range of services counties provide on behalf of the commonwealth, and the need for strong state-county collaboration so we may better meet the needs of all Pennsylvanians,” said <commissioner/council member/executive>.The top priority for counties is election equipment and voting systems. While counties would have preferred to move forward with reasonable timelines, the settlement of federal litigation by the Pennsylvania Department of State will require all voting machines to have voter-verified paper trail systems in place by April 2020. A chief objective under this priority is obtaining full funding for voting systems, since counties are wholly responsible for selection and purchase of voting equipment, with __#__ machines throughout the ___#___ voting precincts of _________ County. “While the administration has indicated it will seek state funding for at least 50 percent of the cost of new systems, we must remind the state that every dollar that does not come from federal or state funding to meet this mandate will be a local property tax dollar,” said <commissioner/council member/executive>, noting that election equipment replacement costs are estimated to be around $________ just for the county. “Thus, a chief objective of this priority is obtaining full funding for voting systems.”Counties also need the state and federal government to work closely with them to assure there is a marketplace of voting equipment that is compliant with state and federal certification requirements.<Commissioner/council member/executive> emphasized “__________ County takes seriously its responsibility to assure the integrity of every step in the process, from voter registration until the last vote is counted. And so we call on our state and federal partners to work with us to meet the needs of our voters and the requirements of the settlement agreement so we can maintain a fair and accessible voting system for all.”<For the remaining priorities, select from the add-ins below and/or utilize the list below.>In addition to elections equipment and voting systems, the other five county priorities for 2019 also showcase the services counties provide on behalf of the commonwealth, including: Forensic and community services for seriously mentally ill county inmates, as well as an examination of the needs of the mental health system as a whole;Human services funding and system reform to address the trend of increasing mandates and caseloads combined with declining state and federal funding, with a stronger role for counties in the decision making process regarding service delivery; Rural broadband expansion to assure our rural communities have the infrastructure that is critical to economic vitality and quality of life; Assessment reform, including implementation of newly developed tools and best practices for counties to maintain fair and uniform property assessment systems; Preventing substance abuse in a comprehensive way that involves local and state stakeholders, improves data collection and offers additional resources to expand capacity for education, prevention and treatment. <Commissioner/council member/executive> noted, “Each of these priorities is part of a strong agenda to empower _________ County, and the other 66 counties in the commonwealth, to implement solutions that will better reflect the needs of Pennsylvanians, improve stewardship of taxpayer dollars, reduce cost, increase local flexibility and ultimately improve the lives of all Pennsylvanians. We call on the General Assembly and the administration to work with us and act on these important priorities.”###For more information on the 2019 county priorities, visit and click on “2019 Legislative Priorities.”ADD-INSCounties have also included forensic services for seriously mentally ill county inmates on their 2019 priority list.“Untreated and unaddressed mental health needs are often the catalyst to entry into the criminal justice system – and the reason individuals continue to cycle back through the system,” said <commissioner/council member/executive>. “While we have made progress finding alternatives to placing offenders with mental illness and developmental disabilities in the prison system, such as expanding community services, much is still to be done.” Part of that work includes working with state policy makers to address the mental health system as a whole, not just for those who are involved with the criminal justice system, including funding for expanded services, beds and diversion.In __________ County … Provide examples of how the issue has affected your community and budgets.“By treating the reasons behind criminal behavior in an appropriate setting, Pennsylvania can break the cycle of admissions and readmissions to county jails while improving lives, using resources more effectively, and building safer communities,” said <commissioner/council member/executive>.?Appropriate state funding for human services programs as well as system reforms has also been selected as a county legislative priority. According to <commissioner/council member/executive>, flat and declining state funding, combined with increased mandates and caseloads for critical programs such as children and youth, mental health, developmental disabilities, drug and alcohol, aging and housing, has had a significant impact on the ability of all counties to serve the needs of the most vulnerable in their communities. “In _________ County, for example, provide examples of caseload increases has affected your residents and county budgets, such as children and youth caseloads as a result of the new 2015 child welfare laws, the effects of the opioid epidemic, and/or others.”___________ County also recognizes there is a need for a stronger state-county partnership in service delivery, including efforts for better planning and integration of services. “Counties must be at the table as part of the decision making process when the General Assembly and administration want to change the way we deliver services at the local level, said <commissioner/council member/executive>. “Otherwise, there are often unintended consequences that impact our ability to fully support the needs of our citizens and our communities.” ?__________ County also supports rural broadband expansion as a priority for 2019, recognizing that while the need for internet access continues to increase across the nation, about 800,000 Pennsylvanians still do not have reliable service. Provide statistics and information that supports this need in your county.“Our rural communities cannot continue to wait for broadband infrastructure that is critical as the backbone of business, a tool for education, health care, emergency services and other key parts of our everyday lives, said <Commissioner/council member/executive>. “We must work with federal, state, local and private partners to identify successful approaches and share best practices so that we can develop strategies for successful broadband expansion.”?Another priority for __________ County is assessment reform. According to <commissioner/council member/executive>, a statewide Task Force has developed several best practices to improve the property assessment process and offer education and guidance for counties and vendors.“The assessment system we administer here in the county is the basis for the property tax – the primary source of local revenue for counties, municipalities and school districts,” said <commissioner/council member/executive>. “It is of utmost importance to _________ County that our assessments are done correctly, fairly and uniformly for all of our property owners, and these new tools will help us address challenges in the process.” ?The final legislative priority selected by counties for 2019 is preventing substance abuse, recognizing that while Pennsylvania continues to face high rates of overdose and death due to the opioid epidemic, other forms of substance abuse also remain a serious public health concern. “In _________ County, our single county authority is responsible for developing and implementing prevention, intervention and treatment programs,” said <commissioner/council member/executive>. “We work together with the community to identify our local needs and develop programs that meet those needs so that we can address substance abuse in all of its forms.”Provide examples of how the issue has affected your residents and county budgets.<Commissioner/council member/executive> added, “We will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to build on the progress we have made, while also seeking additional resources to expand our capacity to help our residents and being reversing our alarming substance abuse trends.” ................
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