NACo President James Gore looks back on accomplishments, year ahead

Fellow County Leaders, Partners, and Friends of NACo,

In July of last year, I was sworn in as NACo president, sharing a presidential spotlight titled We... I said the spotlight was inspired by this unique moment in time, and the central role of counties as intergovernmental partners. 

As the months have passed, I’m increasingly convinced of the importance of seeing ourselves as a we — a collective body of local governments with a shared purpose: Strengthening counties in service of our residents. In an often-divided climate, we are resolved, united and certain in our commitment to this: The essential purpose of counties in ensuring the American people are served by community members who know and value them.

In 2024 we showed our commitment in spades:

• We played a pivotal role leading up to the American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund obligation deadline on Dec. 31, assisting thousands of counties in navigating Treasury guidance to ensure county compliance and maximization of resources.
• We secured key reforms to the Federal Communication Commission’s final rule to enhance accessibility to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, bolstering localized crisis intervention.
• We secured federal funding for County Veteran Service Officers (CVSOs) for the first time, supporting those who act as a veteran’s first point of contact in times of need.
• We once again ensured full funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, offsetting costs incurred by counties for services provided on public lands.
• We secured passage of legislation reauthorizing the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the first time in 20 years — a major win for counties that will support local economic development and job growth.
• We advanced meaningful progress through NACo’s Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing and AI Exploratory Committee.
• We leveraged a unique cohort model to tackle issues and promote innovative solutions around economic mobility, the opioid crisis, housing solutions, juvenile justice, workforce development and more. 
• We drew more than 6,000 NACo members to events ranging from conferences in Washington, D.C., Mariposa County, Calif., Hillsborough County, Fla. and Sonoma County, Calif. to small-group convenings in dozens of counties and federal advocacy fly-ins in Washington.
• We launched major new initiatives including a National Center for Public Lands Counties and an Intergovernmental Disaster Reform Task Force, meeting the moment with an eye toward collaborating and convening diverse partners.
• We connected counties with opportunities to save money, improve systems and enhance our workforce through NACo EDGE solutions including our longtime partnership with Nationwide, the fully NACo-owned Public Promise Insurance and Public Promise Procurement, and other valued partnerships.
• We published 20 issues of NACo’s flagship publication County News, along with launching a companion podcast, the County News Podcast.

These accomplishments are just the beginning — I highly encourage you to visit NACo.org to explore dozens of publications, toolkits, datasets and other resources created over the last year. But I do not want to linger on the past — I want to talk about the year ahead.

This year brings a new administration and a new Congress. It’s an important opportunity for NACo to tell county stories across Washington, D.C. that speak to the realities we all see every day — stories of resiliency and creativity, but also of challenges both emerging and long-term. Housing affordability. The county workforce. Mental and behavioral health. Disasters, growing in number and intensity. 

In the year ahead, we as county champions, will continue to leverage resources, storytelling vehicles, convenings and our own growing relationships with our intergovernmental partners to advocate for county priorities including modernizing federal disaster policies, enhancing access to affordable broadband and technology solutions, supporting mental health reform and addressing housing affordability. 

We will also push for bipartisan investments in infrastructure, protections for local revenue streams, sustainable environmental stewardship, local decision-making and improved systems for elections and public lands management. These efforts are vital to strengthening counties as we build a stronger America.

I encourage you to explore new ways to become involved with NACo this year. Participate in a public awareness campaign like National County Government Month in April or Operation Green Light for Veterans in November. Join a policy steering committee and see firsthand how the American County Platform evolves over time and impacts federal policy. And join us for a conference, because there’s no experience county officials say does more to educate them and act as a balm for all the challenges we face as county leaders quite as much as coming together, thousands strong, at a NACo conference.

This year marks 90 years of the National Association of Counties, and you’ll be hearing a lot more about that, but let me be the first to say what an honor it is to be here with you, celebrating the wins of NACo’s last year and ringing in what is sure to be a year to remember — 90 years of NACo — in 2025.

Onward,

James Gore 
NACo President 
Supervisor, Sonoma County, Calif.