Item 8E
~.
"' MEMORANDUM
FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES INC.
To: Members of Florida League of Cities, Inc.
From: John Charles Thomas, Director
Legislative & Public Affairs
Date: December 21, 2006
Re: Request for Resolution
The FLC Board of Directors has adopted an initiative to enhance the
Legislature's awareness of the League's priority issues. This plan calls on each
of Florida's 413 cities to adopt a resolution that supports the League's key priority
issues.
These key .issues were adopted by the League membership at the recent
Legislative Conference and address Charter County Relations, Affordable
Housing and Property Tax Reform.
~" Enclosed is a draft resolution that we are asking your city to adopt at the next
available council/commission meeting. We would then like you to send copies of
~. that resolution to Governor-Elect Charlie Crist, Senate President Ken Pruitt,
Speaker of the House Marco Rubio, your House and Senate members and a
copy to the Florida League of Cities no later than Friday, February 23, 2007.
Also enclosed, is a list of addresses for the Governor, Senate President; Speaker
of the House and a House and Senate directory with addresses for your
legislators.
A Microsoft Word version of this resolution can be on the League's website under
~. Legislative/Advocacy at: www.flcities.com. Should you have any questions or
require additional information, please contact Jenny Anderson at the Florida
League of Cities at (800) 342-8112. Thank you for your assistance.
Enclosures
,w 301 South Bronough Street, Suite 300 • P.O. Box 1757 • Tallahassee, FL 32302-1757
(850) 222-9684 • Suncom 278-5331 . Fax (850) 222-3806 • Web site: www.flcities.com
AGENDA ITEM #8E
- JANUARY 8, 2007
AGENDA ITEM #8E
JANUARY 8, 200'7
Please send a copy of your City's resolution to the following
no later than Friday, February 23, 2007
~, The Honorable Charlie Crist
Governor-Elect, State of Florida
Plaza Level 05, The Capitol
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0001
Phone: (850) 488-4441
Fax: (850) 487-0801
The Honorable Ken Pruitt
President of the Senate
Suite 409, The Capitol
~. .404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1100
Phone: (850) 487-5229
Fax: (850) 487-5844
The Honorable Marco Rubio
"""" Speaker of the House of Representatives
Suite 420, The Capitol
~, 402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-1450
~. Fax: (850) 487-1456
Your House and Senate Members
See attached directories for mailing information
Rikkia Rellford, Assistant to the Legislative Director
Florida League of Cities, Inc.
Post Office Box 1757
Tallahassee, Florida 32302-1757
Phone: (800) 342-8112, extension 253
Fax: (850) 222-3806
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AGENDA ITEM #8E
JANUARY 8, 2007
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR FLC
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ,URGING
MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO SUPPORT THE
FOLLOWING ISSUES DURING THE 2007 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
WHEREAS, municipal self-determination and local self-government are
constantly under attack from a variety of public and private interests; and
WHEREAS, numerous counties have recently proposed revisions to their
charters that would adversely impact the Home-Rule powers of
municipalities within those counties; and
WHEREAS, a majority of Florida's municipalities have experienced
negative impacts to infrastructure, housing stock and employment base from
'~' a series of natural disasters; higher than expected increases in the cost of
building products; double-digit increases in the cost of property insurance;
and inequities in the existing .property-tax system; and
WHEREAS, Florida's continuing population increase has presented a
challenge to cities struggling to meet the infrastructure needs required to
accommodate new growth and development without an infrastructure
revenue source dedicated to municipalities; and
WHEREAS, various proposed revisions to the property-tax system would
have substantial adverse impacts for all municipalities in Florida should they
be adopted; and
WHEREAS, Florida's municipalities are dependent on other governmental
entities for financial stability and under the current system the state,
~. counties, and school districts, control all funding sources authorized for
implementing capital improvements and complying with concurrency
~, requirements; and
WHEREAS, Gov. Charlie Crist and Florida's House and Senate leaders
have an opportunity to address the unique concerns of municipalities during
the upcoming 2007 legislative session.
AGENDA ITEM #8E
JANUARY 8, 2007
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF
Section 1. That the City of urges Gov. Charlie Crist
and members of the Florida Legislature to support legislation during the
2007 legislative session that:
• Restores and maintains municipal Home-Rule authority for municipalities
located within charter counties;
• Supports a tax structure that is fair and equitable, and is competitively
neutral and allows municipalities the flexibility to provide adequate
services in their communities.
~* • Preserves the dedicated documentary stamp fees as a funding source for
the State and Local Government Housing Trust Fund (Sadowski Trust
Fund), eliminates the cap placed on fund distribution, and prohibits any of
~.
these trust fund dollars from being diverted to the General Revenue Fund.
'~ • Provides a comprehensive and uniform workers' compensation
system for all municipal employees, regardless of employee
classification, at a reasonable cost to employers.
• Provides a dedicated and recurring source of revenue, including
municipal local-option fuel taxes, rental-car surcharges, or other taxes or
fees, for municipalities to fund transportation projects such as TRIP,
urban arterial .and other projects. Furthermore, the existing distribution
formula for local-option transportation taxes imposed by a county should
be revised to allow for a more equitable distribution to municipalities and
provides for indexing of local-option fuel taxes.
• Requires legislative authorization prior to the Florida Department of
Transportation removing or delaying any project that is contained in the
FDOT Five-Year Work Plan.
~•
• Preserves municipal authority to franchise cable and video services.
AGENllA ITEM #8E
JANUARY 8, 2007
srw
Section 2. That a copy of this resolution shall be provided to Gov. Charlie
~, Crist, Senate President Ken Pruitt, House of Representatives Speaker Marco
Rubio and members of the Florida Legislature.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City of ,this _th Day of
2007.
