I recently attended the 2026 NACo Legislative Conference (Feb. 21–24, 2026) in Washington, D.C., where county leaders from across the nation gathered to focus on federal issues impacting local government.

A few key takeaways stood out:

Federal policy updates on broadband, AI, and cybersecurity. Several sessions focused on how evolving federal policy and funding priorities may affect county operations—especially as counties continue expanding connectivity, strengthening cyber resilience, and navigating responsible use of emerging technologies. In addition, land use conversations centered on energy development and the role counties play in balancing local priorities, infrastructure needs, and long-term community impacts.

Launch of “We Are Counties.” One of the conference highlights was the rollout of “We Are Counties”, a new platform designed to help counties better tell their story and elevate the impact of county government. Counties and state associations are invited to participate using NACo’s Participation Toolkit, which includes ready-to-use materials such as graphic templates, sample social media posts, and media outreach tools. To access the toolkit: https://www.naco.org/wearecounties/participation-toolkit

During one of the workshop sessions, “Property Taxes Under Pressure,” (moderated by Jon Cannon), the room was packed — a reminder of how timely and widespread these discussions are.  A quote shared by Ginger Delegal, Executive Director of the Florida Association of County Officials, resonated strongly:

“The strength of free peoples resides in the local community. Local institutions are to liberty what primary schools are to science; they put it within the people's reach; they teach people to appreciate its peaceful enjoyment and accustom them to make use of it. Without local institutions, a nation may give itself a free government, but it has not got the spirit of liberty."
— Alexis de Tocqueville

I’m thankful for the opportunity to connect with county officials, other state associations, and NACo staff—and I look forward to bringing back and sharing these valuable resources with Nebraska counties.