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Home My WebLink About2013 10 14 Other, Documents from Commissioner Krebs Reports Date: October 14, 2013 These documents from the Florida League of Cities were referenced by Commissioner Joanne M. Krebs during her Report at the October 14, 2013 City Commission Regular Meeting. (Other documents also referenced at this time are saved electronically under the Meeting folder in LaserFiche. Please note that the entire copy of the "Strengthening Florida's Cities Through Effective Advocacy" and "Florida's Guide for Aging Drivers" documents are available in the Office of the City Clerk). Eribr' -- 1111:44 f 1r FLORIDA'S GUIDE FOR AGING DRIVERS DEVELOPED BY: SAFE MOBILITY FOR LIFE COALITION Safe Mobility for L' - Coalition Goal: To improve aging road user safety, access, and mobility in Florida by achieving a five percent annual reduction in the number of aging road user fatalities, serious injuries, and crashes beginning in 2012 while maintaining aging road user's mobility and independence which is necessary for enjoying a fulfilling life. glo_dex Coalition Member Organizations __a.. _ __., PEE of F�o� *F College Df Public Health •TA)) •e v� � uL" and Health Professions o Z rnstiiate for Mobility,Activity, S W 1 1 y LF�J and Participation y � Florida Public Trans tafion Accocia Fon 9. �e DEPARTMENT OF UNIVERSITY of FLORIDA pnr -'�TOFTRPNe0 Go_den. Florida �.P 'J Safe Mobility for Life Coalition Association of Tat .`.v'.II Senior Centers ELDER AFFAIRS �� l / Carlin Rogers Consulting,LLC STATE OF FLORIDA U.S.Department „... of Transportation i yI THEFLpRIDASTATEUNIVERSITY starmetro t i� s PePreRTxsrrroreo taawNC.wuPGallceolacr Federal Highway t , �' Administration 1 , ever ythr'), hos ***** Under the Sun! THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY li 7f )f )f ` 0 COLLEGE OF MEDICINE NHTSA ,' I I` C ■- ' ` T to y% 4VNW.II�Itsa.gov I l SAF'Y TEAMS DEH FIolido Commission for the t ^.. grall) .(1114( ,'IMINIppr FLORIDA DEPARTMENT o, FLORIDA' ECONOMIC EP RTME,N OPPORTUNITY Area Agency oR Aging g Y g g FRCAT for NORTH FLORIDA FLORIDA REGIONAL F�� Transportation MPOAC COUNCILS ASSOCIATION Disadvantaged FIUV FLORIDA DEPARiif MEOA..�, /,�R�MTOri AgIng L"11 " ,-LLAHA F Nursing& HIGHWAY SAFETY wD MOTOR YEN IDLES �JSENIOR SERVICES CENTER Health Sciences Florida 's A Road User Is: ging Someone who is a driver, passenger, pedestrian, bicyclist, transit-rider, motorcyclist, or operator of non-motorized vehicles who is 50 years of age or older, with a special emphasis on the 65 years or older age group. glo_den Aging Road User Strategic Safet Plan A comprehensive statewide plan designed to strike a balance between safety and mobility to make sure that aging road users are able to maintain independence and remain active in their community even when driving may no longer be a safe option. glo_dex Ten Emphasis Areas ❑ Program Management, ❑ Prevention and Early Evaluation and Recognition Resources ❑ Assessment, ❑ Data Collection and Remediation, and Analysis Rehabilitation ❑ Outreach and ❑ Licensing and Education Enforcement ❑ Advocacy and Policy ❑ Other Road Users ❑ Aging in Place ❑ Transitioning from Driving ga8 glo_den Prevention & Earl y Recognition ❑ Goal: Promote the value of prevention strategies and early recognition of at-risk drivers to aging road users and stakeholders. Objective: Increase the number of drivers who are proactive about staying safe on the road. • Strategy: Educate aging road users on the resources and tools to enable them to drive as long as safely possible. Resource: Florida's Guide for Aging Drivers ©©den Florida 's Guide for Aging Drivers �; ❑ Divided into Five Sections t► ❑ Targeted for aging drivers and families/caregivers ❑ Spiral-bound that fits in glove box Florida's Guide for Aging Drivers ❑ Educates on: The impact of aging on skills needed for Moy 2012 safe driving. Importance of planning for retirement from driving. Access to local resources. go den Section 1 : Promoting Safe Mobility for Life Learn more about: ❑ Outreach Materials ❑ Licensing Requirements ••••■ . ❑ Vision Requirements for drivers 80 and Older • ) loot ❑ Reporting Unsafe Drivers ❑ Medical Review Process ❑ Roadway Improvements ❑ Rules to Help Share the Road go den Section 2: The Impact of Aging on Driving Learn more about: it, irk ❑ Vision :L* ❑ Cognition ❑ Dementia • ly. ❑ Physical Condition „e ) i y' ❑ Common Driving --t Errors Dr/ Safety_fl Go den Section 3: Am I Safe to Drive? Learn more about: ❑ Warning Signs „ . . ü Self-Assessment - , : 1- t • ❑ Family and Caregivers liv. . :4.-':'ro.../ - . Involvement N ,( = ❑ Changes in Driving Behavior A ❑ Doctors and the Medical Community Safetyfl� Go_den Section 4: Keeping Safe While Driving Learn more about: t. ❑ CarFit Safety Events ü Driver Safety i , , Courses ❑ Driving Skills i 1" Assessment ilit- ' r ...,..,.......11011111110 Safety 8,g Go den Section 5 : Retirement from Driving ;i ' Learn more about: * " ❑ Developing a [_,_.g.�. Transportation Plan Al _ ❑ Your Transportation j, 4_ ;1_.:' , i- t '}4 Options ti ?„ , . • A NM i --ir---14, ' Safety_flg Go den www.SafeandMob• , eSeniors.or g ❑ The guide is a printed version of Florida's one-stop shop website for transportation safety and mobility information. In The Know And Keeping Seniors Safe and Mobile ail The Go SafeandMobile Seniors.org Your Guide to Transportation Safety Resources in Florida ome Road User Roadway Vehicle Laws quick links Florida leads the nation with over 17 percent of our population 65 years and older.Our q uc ns nny warm climate makes Florida an ideal retirement destination.It is projected that our number of residents 65 years and older will continue to grow.By the year 2030,over 27 percent of our population wi0 be over the age of 65,compared to 19 percent for the rest of the nation.(U.S.Census Bureau). Florida's Guide for heretDrivers-y-r Mirk FLorida is also leading the nation in preparing to meet the transportation safety and mobility get your coin/ cha0enges that arise from the increase to the aging population.This website was developed caging Road user and is maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation(FDOT)to support the work strategic safety Plan and efforts of our Safe Mobility for Life Coalition.This site is designed to be a virtual one stop shop'for transportation safety and mobility information to benefit FLohdas aging road caofaimun lily for Life users.In Florida,we define an aging road user to include:drivers,passengers,pedestrians, bicyclists,transit riders,motorcyclists,and operators of nommotorized vehicles that are 50 waernative years of age and older,with a special emphasis on the 65 year and older age group. rransvortaewn Disaster Preparedn ess We encourage you to bookmark this site and use it as a reference to stay connected to the Latest transportation safety and mobility resources and information.FDOT has made a Driver safety CO..rse, commitment to keep the information on this website current and easily accessible.To assist Driver Skills in this effort,the site is frequently updated with new information and/or resources as it vents becomes available. Safety_k Driver wellness If you know of any transportation safety or mobility resources that should be intruded on Go- ^N Fn d Planner our site,please emelt:Gail Holley,FDOT Safe Mobility for Life Program Manager for review. e t i gives Resources n Staying Safe and Mobile ❑ Remain proactive about being a safe driver. ❑ Develop a transportation retirement plan that is tailored to your mobility needs. ❑ Don't be afraid to talk about your driving with family members, friends, or your physician. ❑ Stay informed. Bookmark our website (www.SafeandMobileSeniors.org) Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay connected to outreach efforts and educational resources. Safety 8,g Go den To Receive Your Own Free Guide for Aging Drivers Contact: Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy Safe Mobility for Life Resource Center 636 West Call Street Tallahassee, FL 32306 Email: safe. mobility-for-life @fsu.edu Please allow 5-8 business days to receive your guide Scifgty_8 C�o_den To Learn More About Florida's Safe Mobility for Life Coalition Contact: Gail Holley Safe Mobility for Life Program and Research Mgr. Florida Department of Transportation State Traffic Engineering and Operations Office 605 Suwannee Street, M.S. 36 Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450 Phone: 850-410-5414 Email: y1/4,iil.hol6y @dot.state.fl.us s.hry_den fety - .4••• G (ED 0 Safe Mobility for Life Coalition 0 2 Funded by Florida Department of Transportation www.SafeandMobileSeniors.org Follow us on: f facebook.com/FloridaSafeMobility twitter.com/FLSafeMobility 41111.114 Strengthening Florida 's Cities Through Effective i Advocacy U E Or Ali . Florida League of Cities Aghta, El riF ADVOCACY GUIDE 2013 I ki Table of Contents ' Introduction 5 ' Chapter 1 Overcoming Advocacy Objections 7 Chapter 2 1 Building a Relationship with Your Legislator 15 ' Chapter 3 ' Communicating Your Message 25 ' Chapter 4 Building Your Advocacy Team 37 1 Chapter 5 The Florida League of Cities and You . . . Working Together for Advocacy Success 41 ' Appendices A - Sample Letters, Resolutions and Legislative Agendas 45 B - Reports and Resolutions for Legislators and Municipal Official Councils 57 C - Effective Advocacy Strategies Worksheets 81 1 Florida League of Cities Legislative Team 93 Published August 2013 by the Florida League of Cities with the assistance of Kathy Till, of Kathy Till and Associates, Inc. ' 3 Tfltrod n I What is effectiv In politics e advocacy? your first Ste advocate can be defined n pin becoming an effective ns ed in three ps, relationships. Fords... relationships, �r Developing any is an ongoing relationship _ 1� gO1n personal I I happen over g Process With few °r Professional ;. 1 z forge a bond It takes time exceptions, they r '' with d of friendship a continued Y don't 1,' Your state f hip and effort to 1 F�� willing to legislators' is trust. Building a a relationship f r ' ,t, i F ' work at it no different. ' { occasionally with ent. �. , t i �` sionally be Willing open, honest YOU have to be r� i ' 1�+t ;'` .' i But perhaps ling to compromise communication, e 1 1.„, t, l` m ps more importantly to reach tion and ii f r , . f t ,` any meaningful portantly,you have a solution. ! � � 1 ` �� . "fit as ask for i relationship, to real. on. � ' ; 1 r i i i / i t. P,you must offer e that, as ;' ' T er help as well f_ / r : it i. �'� i This advocacy ,`� � � what it vo y guide will es to give you an in i t 1 i } so at it takes develop that relationship look '' �' > We'll also t�onsh; at 1 1 : ::: u:advoca pro vide it is cY strategies t hat with several Prov strateg;eS will lead orate into your Bail ke very little timer �' your state legislators a strong, y routine. These wilt on mutual trust relationship with Strategies in the are and respect. guide eg'es worksheets several Effective plan that fits ' Advocacy into to help You develop IN 83-91).Also included a schedule and lifestyle an advocacy her resources letter legislative(see pages cad other r re es that illustrate how effectively a And for the with legislators �'to effectively agendas on experienced {beginning on pa how to take your advocate,you'll find suggestions 45)' % `' `', advocacy efforts Throughout the to the next 1 Florida advocacy evel. �.. League of guide a municipal Cities Home II hear from cities They'll officials who me Rule Hero several o are strong o winners, successful. share their g advocates �. And strategies and for their Simmons, You'll hear from ons, District 1 m state why they are House of Sen. David -.�•. . a former member tuber of the T*: Legisli nd e Florida pPreciation Aw a recipient t no hY effecomet He shares he Leagues �'ng relationsh; unication . thou b 's so critical t ghts ate '`° buildin and local leaders. ' ¢�. t I 1 �' f �7 r I 7 5 Before we begin, here's something to think about. Currently, there are 2,228 elected municipal officials in Florida. Some of the best lobbyists in the country believe it takes no more than five hours each year to effectively advocate for a cause or issue2. Using that theory, if each of those 2,228 municipal officials spent just five hours each year on advocacy, that would total 11,140 hours each year, 928 hours each month or 1.5 hours each day. Imagine if each legislator was hearing from an elected city official at least 1.5 hours every day of the year. Now that would be a force What can we learn that could not be ignored, and the Florida League of Cities would become one of the most (if not the most) powerful from knowing how organizations in Florida! to communicate with legislators•� To start building the relationship with your legislators, it's important to understand what they really want to know and how you should communicate your message. Effective We posed this communication is key to ensuring your legislators are fully question aware of the impact their decisions will have on the citizens to Kevin in your city. More often than not, legislation is born out Cate, president of Kevin of the need or desire to correct a perceived problem or Cate Communications address a citizen grievance. in Tallahassee. His office In a May 2013 survey conducted by Kevin Cate Communi- recently completed a study cations titled Communicating with the Florida Legislatures, titled Communicating with respondents indicated the three most persuasive messages the Florida Legislature. are: ■ Personal story related to a bill; hope that advocacy ■ Localized information and impact; and groups will rethink ► Specific constituent concerns. how they communicate So when its time to communicate your message, be with the Florida Legislature. prepared to answer the following questions and your People should be the focus. legislators will pay attention: Advocates should be asking ► Who in my district will be impacted by this legislation? themselves questions like: ► How will they be impacted? How many real people ► How many will be impacted? care about this issue? How ► How many care they will be impacted?' can we make it easier for them to meet,call or email legislators? How can we get these real people in the media? 6 • Chapter 1 i Overcoming I Advocacy Objections Advocacy isn't difficult. Advocacy doesn't take much time or money. So why don't more municipal officials choose to do it? In this chapter, we'll look at some of the most common Why is advocacy objections and address how they can be overcome. IObjection 1: No One Asked Me to Advocate. so important? Consider this manual as your invitation to get involved in • advocacy. And to be sure we've covered all the bases on e posed that question to Live sr this objection, here may be a few more reasons no one has Oak Mayor Garth "Sonny" asked you to advocate: Nobles. Mayor Nobles has I / We don't have your contact information. been an elected official for 37 years and / We have incorrect contact information. served as mayor of Live Oak for the past 1 We haven't visited your city or local/regional league yet. 11 years. He is well respected by his col- I / You are newly elected. leagues and has worked closely with his / You've not expressed an interest in advocacy. If any of these objections apply to you, they can be easily legislators. A strong advocate for his city, Iovercome. We encourage you to call or email the legislative Mayor Nobles shared these thoughts with team at the Florida League of Cities, and they'll quickly us about the importance of advocacy. address your concern. (See page 93 for contact information.) Ithink our elected As we've stressed,the key to advocacy is building relation- representatives rec- .. ships with state legislators. No one municipal official or 1 Florida League of Cities staff member can do it alone. This ognize we (the local is a team effort that requires the involvement of all of our elected officials) are cities and their elected leaders. Join the team today. Help the group closest to the 1 the Florida League of Cities become the most powerful people and their voters advocacy organization in Florida! in the community. I also Live Oak Mayor I Garth"Sonny"Nobles think that local elected Objection 2: I'm Afraid of Making a Fool of Myself. officials are finally This is an understandable objection, because nobody really realizing we are a very I wants to make a fool of himself or herself— especially when talking to their legislators. However, you are obviously important voice,and passionate about your city, right? That passion is the key to thus the legislators real I overcoming this objection. No one — not even a professional ize that as well.We are lobbyist — can tell your community's story better than you the people that have the can. After all, no one cares about it more than you do. So day-to-day,grassroots Ifocus on telling your story to your state legislators, and be contacts with the voters sure to explain in detail the ways in which their decisions and for that reason they will impact your community. If you do this effectively, you 1 definitely will not make a fool of yourself. (legislators) are really starting to listen to us. 1 7 In addition to sharing your city's story, here are a few more tips that will help you speak with your legislators with more confidence: ► Advocate on an issue related to your educational or business background and expertise. / Educate yourself on the issue you're going to address. • Meet with your staff prior to contacting your legislators. • Contact the Florida League of Cities legislative advocate who lobbies that issue before you contact your legislator to review what you're going to talk about and to get the latest information. ' Sign up to serve on one of the Florida League of Cities legislative policy committees based upon your area of interest. (See page 43.) You'll get valuable insight into what is happening on these issues statewide and help develop the League's legislative agenda for the upcoming legislative session. 1 Volunteer to serve on a local task force convened by your legislator or the governor to expand your knowledge base. Objection 3: I Don't Know What to Say to My Legislator. Remember, advocacy starts at home, not in Tallahassee. Building a relationship with your legislators is like building any other relationship. It starts with a simple "Hello," or "I would like to introduce myself." You go from there. Another point to remember is that during an election year, legislators are anxious to meet with their local leaders to garner their support for their re-election or election to another office. This presents a great opportunity for you to contact them to talk about their platform. Here are a few successful strategies to start a conversation with your legislators: ► Immediately after session, send your legislators a note to say "welcome back to the district" and "thank you for your service." Whether you agree or disagree with their politics or policies is irrelevant. As a public official, you I are one of the few people who understand the commitment it takes to be a public servant. ► Spend some time researching your legislators before you meet or call them. The Florida House and Florida Senate websites have information about each legislator, and many, if not all, have a website. Do an Internet search of their names and you'll probably be surprised how much information you can find. ► Read and follow the same news sources as your legislators. According to the May 2013 survey by Kevin Cate Communications, Communicating with the Florida Legislature, 78.1 percent of respondents get their news from the Sayfie Review, 73.4 percent get their news from local print newspaper (online), and 62.5 percent get their news from local print newspaper. ► Take advantage of social media — become their friend on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and get connected on Linkedln, or at least preview their profile. ► Now that you've learned about your legislators, determine what you have in common and start a conversation talking about these commonalities. 1 Invite your legislators on a tour of your community. Remember, you can tell your city's story better than anyone. This is an excellent time to tell 8 1 ' them how you have met the challenges of a struggling economy and what you're doing for your residents. While on the tour, give them an opportunity to ask questions. Be sure to invite your local media to come and take pictures. Tours are an excellent photo opportunity for ' both you and your legislators. ' Many House and some Senate members are up for re- election in 2014 and they are always eager to talk about ' their campaign platform. If you agree with their platform, ask "How can I help you with ?" (fill in the blank) / What's happening in your city related to the issues they care about? Be sure to share this with them and offer to keep them informed if and when the situation changes. Do Your ► For the experienced advocate — Offer to serve as Homework an advocacy mentor to a newly elected municipal official from you city or area. Sometimes having a respected and experienced colleague that is willing to offer guidance uring the 2012 ' is just the "push" a newly elected official needs to get legislative session, involved in advocacy. two Florida League of Let's admit it...for almost all politicians (local, state or federal) Cities lobbyists were working talking is not a problem right? Sometimes, however, starting the conversation can be a challenge. By utilizing the tips listed on legislation that proposed the above, you'll find getting started is easier and more enjoyable repeal of local vendor preferences. ' than you think! They met with the bill sponsor to discuss the League's concerns. ' Objection 4: The Legislator Is an Expert on the Issue and I'm Not. During the conversation,the legislator,who appeared to be an In most instances, you'll find this really isn't true, particularly if issue expert, only quoted facts your legislator is newly elected or has never before served in public office. However, what they are good at is talking to the from a talk sheet he'd been given people who are the experts.This is especially true if they've by the special interest group agreed to sponsor specific legislation that will impact a special supporting the bill! The League's interest group or group of concerned citizens. lobbyists knew this because they had done their homework before Here are some techniques to help you overcome this objection; the meeting. Before you meet Do your homework. Be prepared before meeting with with a legislator,know who or your legislators to discuss an issue. Know who or what ' groups are opposing your position, and what they are what groups have the opposing telling the legislators. position on an issue and what / You are the expert on your city, so focus on telling your they are telling the legislator. You ' story. Remember,you know and care more about your can learn this by researching your community than anyone.Your legislators want to know the opposition's website. local impact of legislation. ' ■ Meet or talk with the Florida League of Cities legislative advocate who lobbies that issue or your city's lobbyist ' before meeting with your legislators to develop talking points to prepare for your conversation. 1 9 ► If possible, ask the League's lobbyist to attend the meeting with you to provide technical expertise if needed. Ask your city's lobbyist (if applicable) to accompany you to the meeting. They work for you and should readily agree to help you. ► Become a member of one of the Florida League of Cities legislative policy committees to learn more about legislative issues. / If you don't understand your legislator's position or reasons for supporting/opposing an issue, be sure to ask questions for clarification. You should not conclude the conversation until you fully understand the "why" for his or her decision to support or oppose your position. Here s an example There are many times when a legislator is "hungry" for from state Sen. more information to further educate himself or herself on an issue. If this is your area of expertise, offer to be a David Simmons, resource, and then you become the expert! District 10, on how Objection 5: The Legislator Doesn't Care What We to get and keep Say Anyway. Yes,they do, if you communicate your message effectively. your legislator's At no time was this more evident than during the 2012 legislative session. HB 1063 was an attempt to repeal the attention. local business tax receipt collections,which would have subjected municipalities statewide to a loss of millions of dollars as well as a practical means for cities to keep track of what businesses are operating within their municipal he most helpful boundaries. Municipal officials around the state began communications contacting their legislators to share their cities' story. They are personal meet- explained how this source of revenue is utilized and the ings with constituents and fiscal impact on their city if it was lost. Legislators in both the stakeholders. This allows House and Senate listened to the outcry from municipalities • me to hear their stories and did not support the repeal, with the exception of one Sen.David Simmons, and ask questions. I make select special interest group. District 10 informed decisions based So why did they listen? The answer is the basis for on facts and research, so effective communication with your legislator. If you it is always helpful when understand what they care about and why — if you can advocates can give me answer the following questions — they will pay attention: background information ► Who in my district will be impacted by this legislation? and research to support ► How will they be impacted? their cause. ► How many will be impacted? ► How many care that they will be impacted?5 Here are suggestions to make sure your legislator does care about what you say: 10 I I ■ Put a face on your community. Get your residents (voters) to support you and help communicate your message. I Legislators do care what voters think. See Chapter 4, Building Your Advocacy Team, for more details. ■ As a municipal official, you want to make informed deci I sions.And to do so,you have to hear and know both sides of every issue. Your legislator is no different. Don't let them make decisions without hearing from you and Ihow your community will be affected. Objection 6: Politics Is Sleazy. I Hopefully, you don't really believe this. But if you do, then spend a few moments asking yourself why you feel this way. Your legislator Is it because of what you see on television or read on the must hear Internet or in the print media? If that's the case, remember you're only getting a very brief synopsis of an incident or from you iquote designed to make headlines that grab the audience's attention. As a public official, you know there's usually much to make an more to a story than the hype, so don't make judgments based informed il upon a one-minute or one-article story. decision i Maybe you believe politics is sleazy based upon a perception of how the "political chess game" is played in Tallahassee. If he following quote by that's the case,there's only one way to change the situation... Joel Blackwell, author I get involved and help change the rules of the game. This of Personal Political starts by always being a statesman. Publicly "bashing" your Power, How Ordinary People legislators only serves to further the perception that politics is sleazy. If you disagree with them,talk with them privately Can Get What They Want From Iand, hopefully, they will extend this same courtesy to you. Government, summarizes this point quite succinctly: I We've all seen or heard of incidents where politicians say something they think is in private only to learn the micro- f you don't tell them(your phone was still on. This creates a very embarrassing situation elected official) what to I for everyone involved.The same can be said if you choose to do,you leave them free publicly "bash" your legislators. You don't know if their friend or a supporter is within earshot. to do whatever they choose. More significantly,they will Honesty,trust, good moral values and ethics do exist in the undoubtedly be hearing from political arena. By focusing on building a positive relationship people on the other side of with your legislators based on these characteristics,you'll your issues, and if they don't "'' soon discover that politicians at all levels of government are hear from you,you give them committed, passionate individuals working for the benefit of permission to go the other wa 1? g way. their communities. 111 ft U 11 Objection 7: I Don't Have the Time or Resources to Go to Tallahassee. Advocacy is most effective when done at home, in the district, before and after the legislative session...so you don't have to be in Tallahassee to make a difference. The Florida League of Cities always encourages and appreciates visits from our municipal officials during session, although we do understand that time and budget constraints may prevent these visits from happening. Mayor Howard In fact, legislators repeatedly say that they are readily available Schieferdecker, to meet municipal officials from their districts. And they emphasize that they are able to devote much more of their Maitland, on the time and attention to these local meetings than they are to meetings held during session. Here are some tactics to help importance of you get started on advocacy right at home in your city. As • your review these tactics, remember. . . if you make advocacy lobbying by the a part of your routine, you'll only stick with it if it fits into your elected official. lifestyle, so design a plan that works for you! ' Make a commitment to advocacy and building a relationship with your legislators. If you commit only 30 ayor Schieferdecker is a minutes each week to advocacy, you will have done 48 "W strong advocate for the hours of advocacy in one year without ever going to Florida League of Cities Tallahassee. and a 2013 Recipient of the League's ► If you do this consistently, over time you will build an < Home Rule Hero Award. effective relationship with your legislators and become a key contact for your city without ever having to leave Maitland Mayor Howard Schieferdecker lected officials share town. a major commonality I Make advocacy a part of your daily routine, and you'll with legislators;they are find it won't take any more time than reading your daily elected to office by the citizens. news or responding to emails. The legislators know these same ► Use today's technology to communicate. Sending a citizens are the ones that helped quick email, forwarding a link to a website or information put them in office.When the you know your legislators will find interesting is a simple way to stay in touch, and it takes almost no time at all. elected officials take the time to meet with their legislators, Visiting Tallahassee During Session it shows how important the The Florida League of Cities always encourages and appreci- issues are to their residents. ates visits from municipal officials during session. So if you Additionally,elected officials do plan to visit your legislators in Tallahassee during session, live in their respective cities and below are some suggestions to maximize your time and therefore have a vested interest in resources: its growth and prosperity.Their ► Visit your legislators during committee week in lieu of commitment and passion for the middle of session. Although their schedules are busy, their city's initiatives are conveyed they will have more time to talk with you and you still when meeting with legislators. have the opportunity to impact their decisions. 12 ■ Visit during the League's Legislative Action Days. You'll have the opportunity to network with municipal colleagues, hear from key legislative leaders and have scheduled appointments with legislators to address municipal issues. / Plan to stop by the League's office for a legislative briefing with Allison Payne, manager of advocacy programs and federal affairs, before you begin your ' appointments. You'll get the latest information on current issues so you can have timely, effective conversations with your legislators. ► If you are meeting with your legislators to discuss specific issues, have information you can leave with them and/or their staff at the conclusion of your meeting. ► Even if they aren't in your district,take time to stop by and drop off information ' to all legislators who will hear the issue(s) in an upcoming committee meeting. ► Take plenty of pictures to post on social media to demonstrate to your constituents that you are working hard on their behalf. Objection 8: We Already Have a Professional Lobbyist. t Professional lobbyists can be a tremendous asset to your city, and there are many that do a great job. However, the key point in that statement is "many." There are more than 4,000 registered lobbyists in Florida. During the legislative session,they're all trying to meet with and persuade legislators to support their client's position. These lobbyists can be effective, but no one is more effective at telling your city's story than you are. In fact, your message has much more impact ' on your legislator if you are the one sharing it, because you live and represent constituents in their district. ' Here are a few more reasons why you and not just your lobbyist need to share your city's story: ► You have the contacts in your city (part of your legislators' district) that a ' professional lobbyist may not have. ► You put a face on your community and care about it more than anyone else. ► You have spent the time and effort to develop a relationship with your ' legislators that is built on honesty and trust. 1 If your lobbyist does not live in your legislators' district, he or she can't vote for them and the legislators knows this. Remember what your legislator wants ' to know: • Who in my district will be impacted by this legislation? • How will they be impacted? ' • How many will be impacted? • How many care that they will be impacted?6 No one can answer these questions better than you! ' Another very important point about professional lobbyists is that they may represent ' many clients, unless they work as an employee for your city. Be sure you know who their other clients are and if those clients' interests or positions on specific issues will conflict with those of your city. Unfortunately, sometimes lobbyists will represent both sides of an issue, which can affect their judgment and the extent to which they are willing to work for you. ' 13 r NOTES: PP a PP A a PP a U r PP C C C C ■ C C C C C C 14 C I 1 Chapter 2 1 Building a Relationship with Your Legislator dit, 1 Coming together is a beginning. 1 Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. I - Henry Ford I In this chapter, you will find a comprehensive list of proven, effec- tive strategies that work for the advocacy novice or the official building this who is ready to take his or her advocacy efforts to the next level. I As you read through the list, space is provided for you to include relationship your own ideas. One of the best parts about advocacy...you are only limited by your own imagination. So, let the creative juices so important? I flow! , e posed this Strategy 1: Learn What You Have in Common. question I Relationships often start because of commonalities, so knowing ; to Belleair what you have in common with your legislators is an excellent Commissioner Tom way to open a conversation and get to know one another. (See „ Shelly. Commissioner 1 "legislator information” worksheet on page 80.) Commonalities , Belleair Commissioner Shelly,a strong advocate include: Tom Shelly for Florida's cities and a / Gender multiple recipient of the League's I ► Political affiliation Home Rule Hero Award,explained, ► Political and social views ► Occupation I / Hobbies strong relationship is / Family important in order to help ► Civic involvement the state legislators under- 1 ► Industry stand local municipal issues and to / Church and religious affiliation advocate for better legislation and 1 ► Education ► Credentials offer them alternate solutions. It is critical for local officials to be pro- ► Sorority or fraternity active instead of reactive regarding I ► Other legislation that will impact cities. Strategy 2: Meetings I Before and after the legislative session, legislators are more readily available and anxious to meet with municipal officials. Capitalize on this and plan to meet with your legislators at least I once before, once during and once after session. (See "meetings" worksheet on page 83.) Here is a list of ideas to get you started: I 15 NOTES: / Invite them to coffee or lunch just to talk. / Invite them to municipal events as your personal guest. ► Arrange a meeting with the editor of your local newspaper if they've never met. / Invite them to council meetings — especially when you are discussing your budget or intergovernmental policy issues. Invite them to meet with your senior staff and take a tour of your city. / Invite them to be your guest at a civic organization meeting (if they are not already a member). / Invite them to your local/regional league monthly meetings. ' Arrange a "meet-'n-greet" with key business leaders and/or community activists in your city. ' Invite them to join you when you meet with homeowners association groups. / Participate in regional legislative delegation meetings. / Attend events they sponsor or when they invite you. Go to fundraisers or events you know they will be attending,just to say "Hi." / "If they are newly elected or newly representing your city, host a welcome reception for them with your council, staff and members of the community," suggested Mayor Garth "Sonny" Nobles, Live Oak. ► If the League is sponsoring a Roundtable Discussion with your legislators, make sure to attend with your city manager. These events are excellent opportunities to get to know them better and talk candidly about municipal and state issues. / Immediately after session, schedule a one-on-one visit so you can talk privately about their voting record and the impact of new legislation on your community. Start by thanking them for supporting Home Rule, if appropriate. Then address when they didn't. This can be an uncomfortable subject, but you can do it effectively without damaging your relationship. • Share with them your disappointment when they didn't support Home Rule. • Follow up your comment by asking what (if any) information you could've provided that might have helped them be better informed of the impact of their decision. Ask how you can work more closely with them next year so they might choose to vote differently. • Finish the discussion by asking if the issues of unfunded mandates, preemptions or the erosion of Home Rule come before them again, would they consider an alternative solution to lessen the impact on their citizens. / Many legislators schedule town hall meetings in their districts after session. Offer to help promote them by using social media and posting the event on your city's website . . . and make sure you attend.This demonstrates good- will between state and local government. It also gets your face in front of your legislators as well as your constituents. Furthermore, you'll be available to address any questions about the local impact of new legislation. 16 Mliv R I / Get to know their staff. Stop in once in a while and invite them to meet you for lunch or coffee just to chat. I Remember . . . they can be your greatest enemies or greatest allies when it's time to ask for your legislators' support or opposition on a bill! . --, IStrategy 3: Information As mentioned earlier, legislators want and need information tto make decisions. Providing them with information about your community and specifically about what you're doing in your community are excellent ways to become a valuable A f Iresource. (See "information" worksheet on page 85.) Here is a — list of resources to provide your legislators to help them make Why is an informed decisions: I / You know what makes your city/town/village unique. But open line of do your legislators? Summer is an excellent time to edu- communication cate them on who and what you really are. Prepare and I present this information as if you were trying to recruit a between state and new business to your city: local elected officials I • Share what type of businesses and industry are in your community and why. sO important? • Share the demographics of your residents and what I are they saying about your town. e posed that question to • Share the challenges and opportunities you're facing state Sen. David Simmons, related to growth, fiscal shortfalls, crime, public District 10. I safety, transportation, infrastructure, urban infill and redevelopment, water supply, etc. ocal officials are the • Share your greatest accomplishments and how you ones with their ears to Ithe ground. They know • Create a list of strategies your city is using to stimu late the local economy and give that list to your the needs of their community. I I legislators. Make sure they are well informed of depend on local elected officials your efforts and that they understand how further to help me understand how unfunded mandates will affect your ability to con- a state law will affect local I tinue these efforts. governments. When I need / Personally give them a copy of your city's annual budget information about a local issue, or, at the very least, a budget summary. Schedule visits I frequently contact my local Ito do this in lieu of sending it through the mail or having elected officials. your staff deliver them. This is one of the best opportuni- ties you'll have to meet with them and talk again about ' your community before session. Be sure to highlight items that relate to potential legislation so your legisla- tors will fully understand how a loss or reduction of that I revenue source will affect your community. I 1 17 ► If you offer incentives for new or expanding businesses, make sure your legislators have a copy of what those incentives are, which businesses have used them and how they have been used to bring companies and jobs to your community. / Create a list of strategies your city is using to stimulate the local economy and give that list to your legislators. Make sure they are well informed of your efforts and that they understand how further unfunded mandates will affect your ability to continue these efforts. ► If your city has a "Welcome Guide" for new residents, make sure your legislators have a copy. ► Prior to the start of session, provide your legislators with an issue packet detailing your city's legislative priorities, your local/regional league's legisla- tive priorities and the Florida League of Cities' legislative priorities. (See samples on pages 68 and 72.) This will allow your legislators to learn which issues are important to your city, your region and the state. / Offer to provide your legislators with data related to an issue they are work- ing on. Send them links to copies of articles that give them more information on that issue or other issues you have discussed with them. ► During session, provide your legislators with specific and fiscal data illus- trating the impact of pending legislation. (See pages 59 and 63 for excel- lent examples prepared by Casselberry City Manager Randy Newton.) ► Preempt a preemption by promoting transparency in government spending and operations in your city and make sure your legislators know you're doing so. This is one of the greatest concerns legislators focus on during session, so the more they know how transparent you are in your city, the less likely it is to become an issue at the state level resulting in a mandate or preemption. The following tips are for the experienced advocate: ► Talk with the publisher of your local newspaper and offer to write weekly op-ed articles to keep residents informed about pending legislation that will affect your community. / Start a blog, Facebook page or e-newsletter to inform residents about pending legislation affecting their community. Strategy 4: Communication One of the keys to a successful relationship is keeping the lines of commu- nication open with your legislators. This doesn't mean you have to talk with them every day, but the key is consistency. If they see and hear from you on a regular basis, and you're not asking them for something during every conversa- tion, they will be willing to listen to your concerns if and when that time arises. A good "rule of thumb" is to commit to communicating with your legislators at least twice a month. This can include a simple "hello" at an event, sending them a quick email or link, posting a comment on their Facebook page, wishing them a happy birthday or anniversary. 18 Following is some advice on how to effectively communicate with your legisla- tors. (See "communication" worksheet on page 87.): ' ► Thank them for their service. Send them a note (handwritten gets the most attention) saying, "Welcome back to the district. Thank you for your hard work and look forward to seeing you soon." If you met or worked with their staff, make sure to mention how much you appreciated them in your note as well. Their hard work is just as important and your recognition of their efforts will get noticed by their boss. ' ► Send them an email during session to say "thank you" when they vote in support of local government. (See sample letter on page 52.) ► If they vote against cities, make sure they hear from you as well. They need to be aware that you are paying attention to how they are voting! But remember, publicly calling a legislator to task is not always the best approach. A private conversation may better serve your purposes. ► Be sure they are on your email distribution list to receive your city's news- letter, and make sure you are on their list. ► If your city and/or local/regional league supports a bill your legislators ' are sponsoring, pass a resolution and present it to them publicly before session with the media present for photos and a possible quote from you ' and/or your legislators. You might be surprised by how much they appreci- ate and remember this during session. ► Offer to write a letter to the editor or op-ed column for your local paper if ' you support their legislation, and make sure they receive a copy. ► Send them articles of interest or articles in which they are quoted. Include a brief handwritten note sharing your thoughts on their comments. ► Strategy 3 suggests giving your legislators a copy of your annual budget. Schedule visits to do this in lieu of sending them through the mail or having your staff deliver them. This is one of the best opportunities you'll have to meet with them and talk again about your community before session. Strategy 5: Help Your Favorite Candidate Get Elected or Re-elected. ' There's nothing you can do that is more effective than helping a candidate during his or her campaign.' If you are an elected official,you know how valuable the support of prominent leaders is to a political campaign. Therefore, if you have a favorite candidate, give him or her that support when the time is right. How- ever...be careful to keep your comments about his or her opponents positive. It's not your job to attack the opponents. And, if your candidate doesn't win, you will need to reach out to the victor. Staying positive during the campaign means you can easily do this after the election without any hurt feelings.(See "campaign trail" worksheet on page 88.) Below is a list of strategies you can use to help ' your candidates on the campaign trail: ► Offer to walk a precinct with them. Choose a precinct where there are a lot of voters and where you received a lot of support during your last ' election. The benefits of doing this are: • You'll have a couple of hours of one-on-one time with the candidate as you go door to door. 19 • You'll get to hear what's on the minds of your constituents when they talk with the candidate. • You'll get to hear how the candidate responds to their concerns. • If you support a candidate, your constituents often will too because they respect your opinion. This means the candidate can get a lot of support if you're with them during the walk. • The candidate will get to hear the reasons why your residents love their community. ' Become a point person for placement of campaign signs in your city. ► Give financially as much as you can afford: money talks! ► Host or serve on a host committee for a fundraiser. / Offer a public, written endorsement for the candidate to use in his or her campaign literature or on the candidate's website. ► Introduce him or her to the publisher or editor of your local newspaper. / Attend and participate in candidate forums and political events in your community. ► Schedule a day of meetings with key leaders in your community. This is grassroots politics at its best, and it's very effective for obtaining support and financial contributions for the candidate. / "Get involved in your industry or professional association's Political Action Committee (PAC) or Government Affairs Committee. Participate in candi- date interviews and endorsements. Because we have a citizen Legislature, they look to their own industry for guidance. If you're not involved with your industry PAC, you're giving up some of your accessibility to the legis- lator after they are elected," suggested Belleair Commissioner Tom Shelly. Strategy 6: How Can I Help You? As a public official, you know how good — and somewhat surprising — it is to hear this question. Your legislators are no different. Remember, building a strong relationship means you have to offer help and support as well as ask for it. This is especially true if you are building a new relationship. (See "how can I help" worksheet on page 89.) Following are some effective strategies that will help you to help your legislators: ► Send them a congratulatory note (or give them a call) after their success- ful election or re-election (even if you did not support them during their campaign). Many legislators have told us this doesn't happen very often, so it will definitely have a positive impact when they hear from you. / It's never too early to start talking about your legislators' priorities for 2014. Then, help facilitate meetings or share contacts with people you know that can help them achieve those priorities, if they don't negatively affect Home Rule or your community. ► Volunteer to serve on a task force, committee or working group initiated by your legislators or one where they are also serving. ' Get their contact information (work and cell phone, email) and give them yours. ' Make yourself available (when feasible) when asked to help. 20 ' Publicly recognize legislators for good deeds at council meetings or when you are speaking to groups of people in your community. / Send them articles related to their goals and/or legislative priorities. ' When they invite you to an event, make sure to send a response. Even if you're unable to attend, it is professional courtesy and they will respect this. / If you become aware of how they've helped one of your constituents, be sure to say "thank you." ' Above all: Treat your legislator as you would like to be treated by your constituents! As you can see, building a relationship with your legislators is just like building a relationship with a friend. It doesn't happen overnight. But with effort, consis- tency and the right intentions, you'll find this relationship will go beyond politics and you'll have a friend you can count on well after both of you are no longer in office. Strategy 7: Initiate a Grassroots Home Rule Campaign in Your Community — For the Advanced Advocate As we've stressed in earlier chapters,the key to success in advocacy is rela- tionship. Often we think of advocacy as only building relationships with legisla- tors; however, effective advocacy must go beyond politics and reach into your community. Some of your most valuable advocates are the residents and busi- ' ness owners in your city. Many times, they can capture the attention of your legislators better than you can as an elected official. So don't overlook how significant they are to your efforts. Getting citizens involved will require some effort, but a well-timed and well- executed grassroots advocacy campaign can create a team of local advocates ' that will not only understand but eagerly support your position on important legislative issues. ' Grassroots advocacy is very similar to running a political campaign. But in lieu of promoting a candidate, you're promoting your community, what you're doing for your citizens and businesses, and the importance of Home Rule. Below are some tips on how to have a successful campaign: / Identify the influential leaders (both business and civic) in your community who would make great advocates and invite them to a roundtable discus- sion. Structure your comments to address the following questions: • How will the issues impact their daily lives (and the lives of their chil- dren)? • How will the issues impact the taxes they pay? • How will the issues impact the services you provide them? ' • If they own a business in your city, how will their business be affected? • Share with them information about bills that passed (or failed) and what that means to your city's bottom line. ' ' Reintroduce your citizens to their community by hosting a tour or open house of city facilities. This is your opportunity to educate them on how ' 21 their tax dollars are being spent wisely and the multitude of services you provide. / Communicate with residents why their city is unique. Is it your great parks and trails, athletic programs, extensive shopping and dining options, public safety, etc.? As with legislators, your residents need to know and under- stand why this uniqueness means "one-size-fits-all" government doesn't work. / Spend some time visiting local business owners and discuss what new legislation means to their business and how it will affect their bottom line. / Each month, send out an email or newsletter or submit an article to your local paper about Home Rule and what it means to your residents. ► Create a mail piece, palm card or even a business card that gives a brief description of Home Rule and what it means (a.k.a. a campaign brochure). Hand this out at every opportunity. The goal is to get your residents talk- ing about Home Rule and why it's so important to protect it. ► Spend time hosting small group meetings or get residents to host meet- ings (similar to "candidate coffees"), speak at homeowners association meetings, and civic and business organizations, and talk about Home Rule and why it's so important. • Be sure to capture the contact information of people you meet or speak with for on-going communications. This is now your advocacy network! / Create an ally of your local news media. Invite reporters for an exclusive tour of your city and make sure they know the good things you're doing for your residents. Also, keep them abreast of your advocacy campaign. Reporters are always looking for human interest stories for their viewers or readers. There's nothing better than citizens and businesses coming together to support their community. Strategy 8 — Working with Difficult Legislators On rare occasions, some legislators may be unresponsive to your advocacy at- tempts or be unwilling to meet with you. This presents a unique and somewhat challenging set of circumstances. While we hope this is not the case, there are tactics to continue your advocacy outreach and communicate your message with your legislators. If you've made attempts to contact them to no avail, take heart. Below is a list of alternatives you can use: / First and foremost always take the "high road." Even if they are unrespon- sive, be sure to always keep them informed and abreast of your advocacy efforts and keep records of this communication so you can provide them with copies if they call your efforts into question. / Develop a network of community advocates that will support your town's position and are willing to communicate with their legislators on your behalf. While this method may take longer to develop, you'll find it is well worth the time and effort, not only during the current session but for 22 sessions to come. And as a bonus, you'll have a well- informed group of constituents that will be willing to hold ' their legislators accountable for their decisions and votes in Tallahassee. While your legislators may not respond to you, they are usually very responsive to their voters! Refer to Strategy 7 above and Chapter 4 of this guide for more information. ► Don't hesitate to include people (the legislators' voters) who live outside your municipal boundaries when you build your network. As you know, some legislation has far-reaching consequences that go beyond city borders, ' so including these constituents demonstrates that you care about what happens to people in and around your commu- nity, especially if they own a business or work in your city. Be prepared ' ► Build a rapport with the legislator's staff. Treating them with courtesy and respect will go a long way when they when it's time to ' talk with the legislator. Once you've developed that rap- port, schedule a meeting with the legislative assistant to communicate with share your message and ask him or her to pass it along to your legislator. the legislator. ► Assess who is being uncooperative. If it's the House e asked state Sen.David member, concentrate on building a relationship with your Simmons,District 10,to ' Senate member or vice versa. And if you're focusing on share his advice on how local select legislative issues, make a list of the legislators who elected officials can become more effective are the chairmen and members of the committees where advocates. ' the bills will be heard. You can always make contact with their offices, even if you're not part of their districts.The best way to approach this is to contact them on behalf of se research to support all cities in Florida and as a representative of the Florida your issue.When you visit League of Cities. with legislators,leave talk- ■ Contact an elected friend or colleagues in the committee ing points or a summary paper that ' member's district and ask them to speak to their represen- tative on your behalf. Once again, this is useful if you're have questions. focused on specific issues and want to make sure all com- ' mittee members have as much information as possible to make informed decisions. ' Difficult or unresponsive legislators are one of the greatest challenges to effective advocacy, but you're a municipal elected official, so no one understands better than you how to deal with difficult people. Focus on the passion and commitment you have for your community and you'll find the spirit and determi- nation to persevere. And who knows . . . you may eventually convert an adversary into a friend! 1 23 1 1 Chapter 3 1 Communicating Your Message Communication works 1 for those who work at it. 1 - John Powell Once you have developed a solid relationship with your legislators, you're 1 ready to begin communicating your message and talking about potential leg- islation that will affect your community. But before you reach for the phone or start typing away on the computer, it's important to be prepared. It's important 1 to understand when it is the right time to communicate, how to do it effectively and what to say. In this chapter, we'll review these important strategies so when you communicate with your legislators...they will listen! ' First, however, here are some very important points for you to keep in mind: ► When communicating with your legislators, be accurate, be brief and tell 1 them something new.8 ► Legislators care about a bill when: • They are the sponsor/co-sponsor. 1 • Leadership tells them to care. • They are going to hear the bill in committee. • There are enough people in their district who show they care about the bill. 1 Preparing to Communicate Being prepared ensures that you will communicate your message much more effectively. Below is a list of strategies to help you get ready: 1 ► Know where the legislation is in the legislative process (what committees it has been through, where it's going next, etc.). Rep. Bryan Nelson, District 31, says that when lobbyists or municipal officials in his district meet with him, 1 he always expects them to know this and be prepared to tell him! / Know who the bill's sponsor/co-sponsors is/are. ► Know how other legislators have voted on the bill in their respective 1 committees. ► If possible, find out the position of other committee members on the issue. If it's going to be a controversial vote, your legislators may ask you who 1 else is going to support/oppose their positions. You'll score some points if you have this information readily available. ► Know your legislators' position on the issue before you contact them. / Become familiar with the Florida League of Cities' position on the issue. / Meet or call the League's legislative advocate working on the issue to get an update. 1 25 ► Provide examples of how the legislation will affect your community. Here are a few very important points on this strategy: • Be specific. • Don't exaggerate or lie; you will lose the trust you worked so hard to build with your legislators. • If you find out that you've given your legislators incorrect information, contact them or their staff immediately. Apologize and give them the correct facts. ► Know what you want to accomplish before you contact your legislators. ► Know the names and titles of the legislators' staff. You may be meeting with staff more frequently than with the legislators, so it's important to spend time getting to know them, and always respect the role they play in helping the legislators do their job. How to Communicate Knowing how to communicate your message to your legislators is the key to get- ting their attention and their support. With the use of today's technology, you can send your message very quickly when necessary, but is quickly always the best way? In his book Personal Political Power, How Ordinary People Can Get What They Want From Government, author Joel Blackwell states, "I still think typed or handwritten notes on nice paper have more impact, if only because they are increasingly rare." However, when time is of the essence, sending your message via "snail mail" won't get it there quick enough, so emails, faxes or phone calls are your best option. (Text messages will be covered later in this chapter.) If you choose to communicate by any of these options, it's important to know what to include in your message. Here are some rules that apply, no matter which method you choose to use: / Be sure to include your name,title, address, phone number(s), email address, and district number on all communication. Including the district number is very rare and so it gets the reader's attention quickly. It also tells them you are an informed constituent because you know your legislative district. Your elected title gets their respect, or at the very least, their attention as well. Get to the point quickly and effectively. Remember...be brief, be accurate and tell them something new.9 / Include your city's story and the ways in which the potential legislation will affect your community, especially if it will have a fiscal impact or create a loss of jobs or public programs for your residents (voters). ► Mention that you are readily available to talk with them about your position at any time, and then be available! ► Ask for what you want. ► Reference the bill number and sponsor(s) and when they are expected to vote on the legislation. Legislators see hundreds of bills during session, so this information helps give them a frame of reference for when they need to make a decision. 26 ► Frame your comments to appeal to the legislator's political affiliation, professional career or prior public service as a former local elected official. Below are some examples: IF LEGISLATOR IS A FORMER CITY COMMISSIONER ' ► Representative , as a former city commissioner you understand the importance of Home Rule and local self-governance. CS/HB 1399 goes against everything that Home Rule stands for. We are asking you to join your local leaders in upholding Home Rule and safeguarding local tax dollars by voting "no" on CS/HB 1399. IF LEGISLATOR IS A BUSINESS OWNER: ► Representative , as a business owner you understand how important it is to provide a competitive salary and benefit package for your employees. It would be difficult for you to remain profitable or stay in business long if you were subjected to strict, unsustainable mandates on what these benefits must be, even if you are unable to afford them. ' Municipalities are no different. That is why we are asking you to support your local communities and taxpayers and vote "no" on CS/HB 1399. IF LEGISLATOR IS A REPUBLICAN: ► Representative , as a Republican you understand that during ' these economically challenging times it is more important than ever to be fiscally conservative stewards of taxpayer dollars. Please join with your local leaders and oppose CS/HB 1399, which only exacerbates an ' unsustainable fiscal crisis in our communities. IF LEGISLATOR IS A DEMOCRAT: ' ► Representative , as a Democrat you understand during these challenging times our public employees are faced with the economic burdens of providing for their families. As a local leader, friend ' and colleague of these employees, I also understand these challenges. However, CS/HB 1399 is not the solution. It will only shift the burden to the taxpayers in our community, who, like our employees, are also ' struggling. That is why we are asking you to vote "no" on this bill and allow municipalities the opportunity to structure benefit plans that are affordable for our taxpayers, respectful of the jobs of our police officers and firefighters, and sustainable for future generations. ' 27 Specific Methods of Communication Letters Even if you don't write letters anymore,Joel Blackwell's advice is quite valid. So consider following up your email or phone call with a typed letter to create a permanent record of your communication and reinforce the message you both shared and heard during the conversation. This is very important if you talked on the phone. A follow-up letter summarizing the conversation helps both parties reaffirm what was discussed during the call. If possible, keep your letter to one page, particularly if you're sending it during the legislative session. Legislators and staff rarely have the time or the interest to read more than that, so follow the strategy about being brief and accurate to capture and keep their attention. Send your letter on your personal or your city letterhead to reaffirm who the sender is. Too many people use a blank piece of paper, which makes it harder (and less likely to have the desired impact) for your legislators to know who is writing and whether that person is a constituent in their legislative district. Legislators and their staff don't have the time or desire to do research in order to find out who is sending them a letter, so unidentifiable correspondence will likely receive very little attention. Be sure to sign the letter. If the letter is typewritten, include a one-sentence personal note such as "good luck on " (fill in the blank) or "I appreciate your support on " (fill in the blank) or "I look forward to seeing you back in the district." This reinforces the fact that you at least reviewed and commented on the letter before it was mailed, even if it was written by someone on your staff. Included on page 47 is a letter from Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace to state Rep. Holly Merrill Raschein (R-120) regarding HB 7007 and SB 494 related to Community Development Block Grants. It is an excellent example of very effective communication. On page 51, you'll find a letter from Mount Dora Mayor Robert Theilhelm to state Sen. Alan Hays (R-11) regarding SB 458 related to the Florida Depart- ment of Management Services' interpretation of the use of the Insurance Premi- um Tax for Municipal Police Officer and Firefighter Pension Plans. It is another excellent example of effective communication. Faxes Most people choose not to send faxes anymore, and that's okay. If you plan to send a follow-up letter(which you should), you can send a fax instead. And if you have a fax machine at your office, you can save the cost of postage and get your message to your legislator immediately. When sending faxes,follow the same rules as you would for sending a letter, with one additional suggestion. 28 I IIf you send a fax, particularly during session, make sure to get a confirmation that it's been received by the legislator or his or her staff. After receiving confir- I mation that the fax was successfully transmitted, follow up with a phone call to make certain it was received in their office. Faxes can be misplaced or forgot- ten. And it's not unusual for one fax machine to serve several offices, so you Ishould always call to confirm that your fax arrived at the proper destination. Emails I Many of the letter writing and faxing rules apply to emails. You can create a letterhead template in your computer, which is not that difficult to do. Be sure to reference the issue clearly in your email so they'll know what it is and will open I it. Otherwise, if the legislators or staff doesn't know you,they may be hesitant to open the email, or it may automatically go to the Spam folder. IAnother word of advice about emails — most legislators expect them to be brief and succinct. So it's very important to get right to the point, quickly and effectively. And unless you know the legislator very well, be sure to include Iall of your contact information at the end of the email, including a return email address. This may seem redundant, but the easier you make it for your legis- lators or their staff to respond to your email, the more likely you are to get a ' response. I Following are three excellent, yet very different examples of emails from local elected officials or city managers to their legislators regarding Municipal Pen- sion Reform and Community Development Block Grants. We've highlighted and Iincluded comments in each email about why they are effective. This email was written by Seminole Mayor Leslie Waters to state Rep. Seth I McKeel (R-40) regarding CS/HB 1399, Municipal Pension Plans. McKeel is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, which was scheduled to hear the bill. Chairman Seth McKeel, I Mayor Leslie Waters here! We have not met, but I am the Former Speaker Pro- Tempore; Chair of the House Insurance Committee during the great Governor Jeb Bush & Speaker Bense years, and current Mayor of the City of Seminole I in Pinellas County. (Excellent reference about her service in the House. She creates an immediate level of respect and understanding of serving as a member of the Florida Legislature.) IThe City Police and Fire Pension Bill are NOT GOOD for my City of Seminole or for Florida Cities in general. No Mayors or Councilmen that I know of sup- Iport CS/HB 1399. We are all very disappointed that The Senate passed SB 458 so overwhelmingly, seemingly ignoring the professional knowledge of May- ors, Councilmen, H.R. Managers, City Managers, input from the Florida League I of Cities. (Immediately states her position on the issue) I 29 Representative please be aware that CS/HB1399: / Is Pro-Union legislation, not friendly to cities at all. This is how cities have gotten into a Pension mess over the years (believe me I was in the Legis- lature during the post 9-11 years!). Plus it is about Home Rule, and this bill flies in the face of Home Rule. VOTE NO — CS/HB 1399 because it is bad legislation for my City of Seminole. Please start over next Session with City officials at the table, and with Home Rule in mind. (Asks for what she wants) CS/HB 1399: (Shares her specific concerns about the bill) 1. Limits our ability to bargain pension benefits with our employees. Please let my City of Seminole negotiate with our own union, without the State making it more difficult than it is. Let city government handle, we must have flexibility to negotiate a sustainable benefit level. This bill does not allow flexibility! Home rule! 2. Requires same level of pension funding as last year...and this year Semi- nole successfully bargained for REDUCTIONS...not the same level! This bill wants same level, my City of Seminole bargained for reductions. Geez, that is a good thing. All folks affected were at the table. This bill would UNDO Seminole's successful negotiations with our fire union this year. How awful would that be? 3. Convoluted, complicated, and rigid use of insurance premium tax revenue. This area has become an administrative nightmare. 4. Goes against recent DMS rulings that favored cities. Please listen to DMS and Scott Dudley, Florida League of Cities, 850-570-7296. Suggestions: (Offers alternative solutions) 1. Cities need more flexibility, without legislative influence, not less flexibility, for heaven's sake! Let Home rule, rule. 2. Eliminate the premium tax dollars designation — way too complicated! 3. Have all insurance premium tax dollars go to off-setting the cost of pen- sion plans —this is key! Please VOTE NO — CS/HB 1399 (Concludes with asking for what she wants) This bill gives me a headache!And as former Chair of the House Insurance Committee I know about headaches! Leslie Waters, Mayor (Provides contact information) City of Seminole State Representative, 1998-2006 Speaker Pro-Tempore 30 u. The following email was written by Fort Walton Beach City Manager Michael Beedie to state Rep. Marti Coley (R-5) regarding CS/HB 1399, Municipal Pension Reform. Subject: HB 1399 Police & Fire Pension Reform Representative Coley, I wanted to stress the City's stance on HB 1399 for Police & Fire Pension Reform. Based on the passage of SB 458 in the Senate, HB 1399 should not move forward, and the entire police and fire pension reform issue should be read- dressed to develop the proper reform requirements that both unions and cities can "agree" on. (Immediately states his city's position) The passage of SB 458 took away cities' leverage in nego- tiating sustainable pension benefits through the Collective Bargaining Process. If HB 1399 moves in the same direction, Face-to-face cities will have less control on getting their pension plans • closer to sustainability. The unions will continue to have the meetings upper hand. is key Fort Walton Beach is already evaluating all three of its pen- ellair Commissioner Tom Shelly sion plans (General Employees, Police, and Fire)to make emphasizes how important it recommendations to the Police and Fire Pension Boards and is to meet your legislators in City Council during the FY 2013-14 budget cycle to improve person. " the sustainability of these plans. Both the General Employ- ' ees and Police Pension Plans are close to the 80% fundable limit, which is normally viewed as a sustainable plan. Our It is crucial to communicate with Fire Pension is closer to 60% funded, and with the entire state legislators as real people. CBA for Fire in negotiations, the City's "hands are tied" in There is a time and way to ask negotiating terms to bring this pension plan closer to sus- for everything and most of it tainability. Overall, the City's unfunded liability for the Police is not done in an email. A true and Fire Pensions are $15 million, which compared to other back-and-forth meeting of the cities, is an amount that is manageable if we have the op- minds requires sitting down with portunity to negotiate our own terms and utilize the Premium them as part of the process. Tax Revenues as necessary without limitations. (Talks about the current situation in his city) ' The City urges you to vote NO on this bill and reconsider the path of Police and Fire Pension Reform. (As for what he wants) We are more than willing to work with our region's legislators in coming to an agreement on the proper reform requirements that both the unions and cities can "agree" on. With the passage of SB 458 and the potential for HB 1399 ' 31 to move in the same direction, I don't believe cities will be able to negotiate terms that would benefit or reform the pension plans and unions will continue to hold the upper hand in negotiating benefits that will continue to have a nega- tive effect on the pensions. I thank you for your consideration and all that you do for Northwest Florida. (Recognizes her service) Thanks, Michael D. Beedie, P.E. City Manager, City of Fort Walton Beach The following email was sent by Polk City Councilor Trudy Block to state Sen.John Thrasher(R-6) regarding SB 1024, Community Development Block Grants. Subject: SB1024 — DEO Administration of CDBG Grant Funds - Polk City Dear State Senator Thrasher, I am writing to you about SB1024 (DEO Administration of CDBG Grant Funds). This bill, if passed in its current form, will have a negative impact on Polk City. The bill adds restrictions on the expenditure of block grant funds by local governments, including a preference for economic development applications over other approved uses. (Succinctly explains the bill's impact as currently proposed) Polk City has just completed a $650,000 water pipe replacement project in one of the oldest sections of our city.This replacement was sorely needed because the water pipes were leaking and they did not meet the standards to maintain fire hydrant pressure. Polk City would not have been able to afford replacement of this infrastructure without help from the CDBG Block Grant. (Excellent real-time example of how Polk City has utilized CDBG funding for purposes other than economic development)We will be applying for the next CDBG Block Grant soon as we need to update the wastewater clay pipes that consistently break through another one of our older neighborhoods. (Explains the need for further CDBG funding for purposes other than economic development). Funding for the CDBG Grant should be awarded objectively for all approved purposes. I believe that every city should have the same opportunity to apply for all approved purposes more than one time per year and not just for eco- nomic development. Thank you for your time and consideration. 32 Sincerely, ' Trudy Block, Councilor(Shares all contact information, including cell number for follow-up) Polk City Council ' 123 Broadway Blvd. Polk City, FL 33868 Cell — 630-853-3673 Phone Calls ' Whether it's before, during or after the legislative session, it's important to understand how to communicate with your legislators on the phone. Like so many people in government, legislators have very busy schedules (even when ' they're not in session), so a phone call that's effective and to the point is always appreciated. Follow these tips to make certain your phone call does not waste ' your time or your legislators' time: ► Before the call is made, know what you want to say and accomplish so you'll remain focused while speaking with the legislator. ' ► It will help to have a sheet of paper in front of you with the information the legislator needs: • Who in their district will be impacted by this legislation? • How will they be impacted? • How many will be impacted? ' • How many care that they will be impacted?10 ■ Get to the point quickly and communicate how the legislation will affect your city, fiscally and/or in any other way. We can't emphasize this point ' enough. Legislators repeatedly tell our lobbyists they need to how and how much legislation will affect their voters, not just that there will be an impact. In other words, you must tell them a lot more than "It's a bad bill, so vote no," or "It a good bill, so vote yes." / If the Florida League of Cities has sent out a Legislative Alert on the issue, be sure to review it and have it in front of you for reference and talking ' points during your call. (The League sends out several Legislative Alerts during session urging city officials to communicate with their legislators on important issues affecting municipalities.) ' ► Ask for their support or opposition during the call, if that's your goal. ■ Know how you will respond if they are in agreement or disagreement with your position. Below are some examples: ' • If they disagree, your response should be: "What other information can I provide you that might help you change your mind?" or, "Is there someone else you would like to talk to who might help you change your mind?" • If they agree, your response should be: "Thank you for your support of(your city) and cities throughout Florida" ' 33 • If they tell you they are not voting immediately, call back or text to reconfirm their vote. / If the legislator is busy and can't talk with you, communicate your message to a senior staff member. Be sure to write down his or her name and title and the date and time you spoke for future reference and follow up. / Follow up with a letter (mailed, emailed or faxed to their office) reinforcing what you said and heard during the conversation using the tips provided above. Face-to-Face Meetings Even with the convenience of today's technology, there's still no better way to have a meeting with your legislators than face to face. That's why it is so important to meet while they are back in the district, especially if you won't be traveling to Tallahassee during session. It's important to schedule a minimum of three meetings during the year with them. Once before session, once dur- ing session and once after session. And as any good salesperson will tell you, it's always harder for someone to say"no" if they have to say it to you in person versus through an email or on the telephone. Here are some tips to help you have a productive and successful face-to-face meeting: ► Make an appointment to meet with your legislators. Don't expect to be able to just drop in. Remember, their schedules are as jam-packed as yours. ► If you do "drop in," be prepared to meet with a staff member instead. ► If you have time (and you should make time), send your legislators a one- page summary prior to your meeting. The summary should highlight what you want to talk about and your position on the issue. ► Write down your goals for the meeting, so you can remain focused on accomplishing them. ► Be prepared to present an example of how the legislation will directly affect your city. In other words, tell your story. Be specific and don't exaggerate. ► If you are meeting to ask for their vote, then ask for it. Don't assume they are going to support you because they were nice and you had a pleasant conversation. ► If you are meeting with them during session, you'll probably get only a few minutes to talk with them and it may be in the hallway as they're walking from one meeting to the next. Don't mistake the brevity as rudeness. Their schedules are very, very busy. They don't have the luxury of spending the same amount of time with you as they could before and after session. So it's important to get to the point quickly and succinctly. ► Be nice to their staff when you arrive and when you leave. Legislators rely heavily on their staff and, more importantly,their staff's opinions. If you're rude or dismissive to them, it will most definitely have an effect on the legislator's opinion of you. ► Don't act disappointed if the legislator is not available when you arrive and you have to meet with staff members instead (this is especially true during 34 session). Continue with the meeting as planned, and be sure to thank them for their time when your meeting concludes. Remember. . . their impression ' of you is just as important as the legislator's! / If your legislators do not support your position, ask them to reconsider (if appropriate) and offer to provide them with additional information that ' might change their mind. ► If they are firm in their opposition, thank them for their time and their honesty and leave the meeting on a positive note. The fact that they ' disagree with you on some issues doesn't mean they will on all issues. A memorable way to conclude your meeting is with a "How can I help you?" question. They may respond with "There's nothing right now." But ' they won't forget that you asked. ► Send a follow-up thank you letter or email reiterating what you talked about and heard and/or agreed to during the conversation. You should follow this same advice whether you talked with the staff or the legislator. ► Keep the Florida League of Cities staff apprised of your conversations/ ' communications by copying them on emails or sending a follow-up meeting summary. This will help the League staff know when they meet with the legislator what has transpired during your communications. ' Text Messages Sending text messages to your legislators has one very distinct advantage. If ' you're sending texts, it means you have their cell phone numbers, which means you've committed the time and effort to build a strong relationship with them. Good for you! So now that you've developed that relationship, here are some ' quick tips on when it is and is not appropriate to send a text message and how to do it effectively: ► Don't send a text message as your first or primary form of communication ' with your legislators about an issue. Text messages are designed to be very brief, so it's important to communicate with them in depth about the issue before you send one. ' ► Don't abbreviate word such as BTW, BFF, OMG, B/4, etc. in your text message. These abbreviations may have different meanings to different people, or your legislators may not know what they mean. You don't want ' your message to be misconstrued. ► Don't send a text message in lieu of a phone call or face-to-face visit. Per- sonal contact is still the most effective form of communication. ' ► Do send a text message to: • Reaffirm their commitment to vote in support of your position. • Thank them for their vote on an issue. • Confirm an appointment. • Thank them for meeting with you; however, this should not take the ' place of a personal note or follow-up letter. • Congratulate them on a special event such as a birthday, anniversary, committee appointment, etc. ' • Ask if you can stop byto say"hello"if you're unexpectedly near their office. • Say"Sorry I missed you," if you stopped by and they were unavailable. 1 35 I I ► Acknowledge their call and let them know you'll call them back as soon as possible if they left you a voicemail and you're unable to call them right back. If you send your legislators a text message regarding a specific bill, be sure to include the bill number and title. Remember to include your name in the text in case they don't have your name and cell number together in their telephone contacts list. One final note about text messages: During the 2012 legislative session, the Florida League of Cities initiated a program that sends brief text alerts similar to the Legislative Alerts about upcoming votes on issues affecting cities. If you have not signed up to receive these alerts, we encourage you to do so. It's a quick, easy way to get critical and timely information you need to communicate with your legislators! Ineffective Methods of Communication This chapter has been about strategies to communicate effectively with your legislators. Now it's time to talk about what doesn't work. Legislators (and their staff) have repeatedly stated that the following forms of communication are ineffective or, worse, completely ignored by them: / Petitions. Robocalls" ► Letters or postcards with the exact same impersonal message. ► Mass emails or letters. ► Any form of communication without contact information. ► Forwarding the Florida League of Cities Legislative Alerts verbatim. ► Any form of communication that threatens the legislator. ► Text messages or tweets from people outside of their legislative district. Exceptions to this would be if you know and have a good relationship with a legislator who is not in your district. ► Any form of communication from someone not in their district, unless you are speaking as an advocate for all of Florida's cities. (Just be sure to tell them you are doing just that.) ► Any form of communication that doesn't answer the questions: • Who in my district will be impacted by the legislation? • How will they be impacted? • How many will be impacted? • How many care that they will be impacted?'Z When communicating with your legislators, you want your message to get their attention, and more importantly their support. Communicating effectively greatly increases your chances that your legislators will listen and you will achieve your goal! 36 Chapter 4 1 Building Your Advocacy Team Teamwork is the fuel that ' allows common people ' to attain uncommon results. Unknown ' Building a strong relationship with your legislators is the cornerstone of effec- tive advocacy. But when you're advocating on behalf of the constituents in your ' city, getting your residents involved and supporting your position increases your level of effectiveness, because your legislators always wants to know how many of them care that they will be affected. ' ► For the experienced advocate — building an advocacy team in your community not only addresses this issue, but also puts a very real "face" ' on your city and tells your legislators that it's not just a few, but many that care about an issue! ' You know that having the right players on a sports team can mean the differ- ence between winning and losing. Your advocacy team is no different. You need to select "players" that are committed and willing to do what's needed, "players" ' that understand how important certain issues are to the health and well-being of the city; in other words, people who are influential in your community. A word of caution about choosing team members...do it carefully and make sure there is a complete understanding by all parties of the team's position on the issue. It could prove disastrous if you later discover one of the team members has actually been working against your city, instead of for it! ' Here is a list of suggestions concerning whom to choose as team members to help you build a strong, winning advocacy team: ' ► Government • Council/commission colleagues ' • Elected county officials • Senior staff members in your city • Citizen advisory board members ' • Colleagues in your local/regional league • FLC lobbying team ► Residents ' • Homeowners association presidents • Neighborhood Watch coordinators • Citizens who have been the beneficiaries of excellent public safety ' services • Citizens you have helped with an issue ' 37 • Residents within a neighborhood improvement project • Civic club presidents • Youth athletic coaches and parents of the athletes ► Business • New business owners • Business owners that have utilized local incentives or public safety services • Church pastors • Directors/presidents of local Chambers of Commerce • Newspaper editors • Economic development advisory board members For some of your advocacy team members, it will take only a phone call or email inviting them to participate. As long as you are up front with the expecta- tions for each member, they can commit fully aware of their responsibilities. Before you ask, however, be prepared to address the following issues: ► Purpose (or mission) of the advocacy team. Will you be advocating on one issue or multiple issues? What is/are the issue(s) and why are you asking for support? ► Time commitment. One of the primary reasons someone says no or ceases to participate is if they believe the activity takes more time than they were originally told it would. So be very honest about this! ► Length of project. Is this a short-term, long-term or permanent project? ► When and where the team will meet. One way to decide is to ask the team members to share when they are available, and then meet where and when it's best for the majority. ► The method of communication you will use. Face to face, phone calls, conference calls, email, social media or a combination. ► Which team members will be part of the decision-making process? Most people want their opinion and ideas to be considered meaningful, so be open-minded and respectful of everyone's ideas, even if the group decides not to pursue them Having excited and passionate team members advocating for a cause is much more likely to have an impact on your legislators' decision than having you work alone. So it's important to get and keep team members deeply involved until the legislation either passes or fails. As the team captain,the responsibility to keep your team informed and engaged for as long as necessary is yours and yours alone. Here are some techniques for building a winning strategy: / Plan to communicate with team members (via email) or a regular basis, to keep them updated on any changes on the legislation/issue...no matter how minute. / If you read an article, find a link or website, or hear a story on the news about your issue/legislation, share it with your team members. ► Like any good coach, give your team members constant encouragement and a pat on the back. Thanking them for their work shows you are paying attention and appreciate what they are doing to help. 38 ' Following are specific tactics to help get members of your council/commission involved: ■ Hold a public workshop prior to the start of session to specifically address the impact of state legislation on your city. ► Invite your legislator(s) to address your council/commission before the ' start of session. ► For the experienced advocate — Prepare a report for all council members of potential legislation and its impact on your city. (See example starting ' on page 73.) ► For the experienced advocate — During session, offer to provide legislative updates on issues affecting cities. ' ► Decide which of your council/commission will be responsible for various advocacy tasks and have each provide a follow-up to the council/commis- sion. ' ► Invite a member of the Florida League of Cities legislative staff to address your council/commission on advocacy or key legislative issues prior to ' session. ► Provide each member of your council/commission with a copy of your local/regional league priorities and the Florida League of Cities' legislative ' priorities. ► Sign up to serve on a Florida League of Cities legislative policy committee and encourage each council/commission member to do the same. ' ► For the experienced advocate — Volunteer to serve as the chairman of one of the Florida League of Cities legislative policy committees. ' You know the makeup of your community better than anyone, so communicate your message and reach out to potential team members in ways you know they will respond. The following are some methods for sharing your message and ' reaching out to the people you want on your advocacy team: ► Write letters to the editor and/or op-eds in your local paper to educate the public about how legislation that affects their city will impact them. ' ► Start a blog or Facebook page about the issue, but post with caution. Use this only to provide educational, factual information about how the legisla- tion will affect your community. Remember...always be a statesman and ' speak in a respectful manner. ► Share information about the issue (legislation) through your city's newslet- ter or your own personal newsletter if your city doesn't have one. ' ■ Send out letters to key leaders in your community about the issue(s) and why they should care about them. ► Offer to speak at civic and business meetings to share how the legislation ' will affect your city. ► Make sure you speak out about the legislation at each council/commission ' meeting. ► If you support legislation sponsored by your state representatives, invite them to speak on the issue at a council/commission meeting. ' ► Host a special meeting of your advocacy team and have your legislator(s) speak to the group. ' 39 Once they have responded to the "call to action" and are part of your team, then it's time to focus on your team goals and strategy. First, the goals: / Team members will fully understand the local impact of legislation on their city and on them personally. ► Team members will support the city's position on the issue. ► Team members will get involved and take action. Now that you have a team that's ready to help, what do you want them to do? Here are some ideas that will assist you and your team in spreading your message throughout the community: ► Have team members call, email and/or write letters to their legislators stat- ing that they support the city's position on an issue, and asking the legisla- tors to support it too. Provide team members with a sample letter to help them get started. ► Have team members write op-eds for local newspapers in support of the city's position on the issue. ' Have team members use social media to invite their friends, neighbors and colleagues to join your Facebook page (if you've decided to create one) and show their support. ► Have team members share information with their neighbors, colleagues, employees, clients, etc. in support of the city's position on an issue. Or volunteer to speak at their business, HOA or civic meetings so that you can share information and your position on the issue. Everyone likes to win! Members of your advocacy team will be no different and, depending upon the makeup of your team, members may be quite competitive! If so, it's important that they understand when they've achieved victory. Know when: ► You have successfully addressed the following questions for the legislators: • Who in my district will be impacted by this legislation? • How will they be impacted? • How many will be impacted? • How many care they will be impacted?13 ' You have "put a face" on your community. ► Your legislators are willing to consider or reconsider their position on the issue in support of the residents (voters) in their district. If you accomplish these goals and your team's mission,then you truly have achieved success! 40 1 1 Chapter 5 111 The Florida League of Cities and You... Working Together 1 for Advocacy Success The previous chapters have covered the importance of advocacy and working with your state legislators. Now it's time to address how the Florida League of Cities can help you on your path to advocacy success. Since effective advocacy is an ongoing, consistent process, the Florida League 1 of Cities has designed advocacy activities that will help you develop your personal advocacy plan, before, during and after session: 1 BEFORE SESSION ► Advocacy Training in Your City with a Member of the League's Advocacy Team: Learn why advocacy is so important, 1 how to prepare for the upcoming session and how to effectively communicate and build a relationship with your legislators. ► Monthly Advocacy Tips on the League's Website at 1 www.flcities.com: Timely tips designed to help you develop your own personal advocacy plan. ► Roundtable Discussions Between Your City and the 1 Legislators Elected to Serve Your City. An open, candid conversation between state legislators and the municipal officials from 1 the cities within their districts. ■ Legislative Preview at Your Council Meetings or Local/ Regional League Meetings with a Member of the League's 1 Advocacy Team: Learn about anticipated legislation in the upcoming legislative session and its impact on local government. 1 DURING SESSION ► Weekly Legislative Updates through the "Legislative Bul- letin": Weekly newsletter providing in-depth summary of current, high- priority legislation affecting local governments, including the status and sponsor(s) of a bill or bills. ► "On Tap @ The Cap" Email: A brief weekly summary of the legisla- 1 tive activities on high-priority legislation affecting local governments, including direct links to the bill. ► Weekly Conference Call-in: Monday at 9:00 a.m. each week during session, all League lobbyists are available to provide an up-to-the-minute status report of active legislation affecting cities and to address ques- tions/concerns from our members. ' ■ Issue Briefs: Provide background information and status on many of the League's legislative priorities. 1 41 ► Florida League of Cities Capitol Connection:The Florida League of Cities has created the Capitol Connection to help city officials better communicate with legislators in a more timely and efficient manner. City officials can send personalized emails directly to their House and Senate members or to legislative committees more quickly than ever. Legislators can be selected by district number, city or name. City officials can send emails to members of a House or Senate committee simply by selecting the name of the committee. When the Florida League of Cities sends out urgent calls to action on an upcoming vote, cities can use the Capitol Connection to respond to these legislative alerts and let their legislators know how proposed legislation will affect their city. / Legislative Briefings at the Florida League of Cities Offices Prior to Meeting with Legislators in Tallahassee: Scheduled in advance and conducted by Advocacy Manager Allison Payne, these meetings are designed to inform local officials about current legislation and bill status and provide them with a packet of talking points regarding the League's position, which can be used when speaking with legislators in Tallahassee. ► Monthly Advocacy Tips on the League's Website: www.flcities.com ► Legislative Alerts Via Email and Text Messages: These are sent as needed throughout the legislative session to alert League members about pending action on legislation affecting local governments, and requesting a call to action by local officials to contact their legislators prior to a vote. AFTER SESSION ► Legislative Wrap-Up: The FLC lobbying team will travel to various local/ regional leagues to provide an overview of the past session. The League also schedules a webinar to summarize the major issues that passed/failed. / Legislative Final Report: Mailed to all League members,this document summarizes key issues that the League tracked during the legislative session, including the Legislative Action Agenda established by the League's policy committees prior to the start of session. The document also highlights major bills that passed and failed and lists the votes by legislators on key issues affecting municipal governments. ► Candidate Training through the FLC Institute for Civic Leadership: A free, one-day workshop designed for city officials who are interested in run- ning for the state Legislature. ► Monthly Advocacy Tips on the League's Website at: www.flcities.com 42 WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES ► Attend the annual Legislative Conference in November. ■ Sign up to serve on one of the League's legislative policy committees to help establish the legislative agenda. Meetings are held in September, October and November. Committees include: ' • Energy and Environmental Quality; • Transportation and Intergovernmental Relations; • Finance, Taxation and Personnel; ' • Urban Administration; and • Growth Management and Economic Development. For the Experienced Advocate: / Work with FLC lobbying team on bill language or proposed amendments. ► Volunteer to go on appointments with Florida League of Cities' lobbyists ' for a day as the municipal official representing Florida's cities. / Volunteer to serve as an issue expert for testimony at committee hearings before and during session. / Write an "Advocacy Tip of the Month" for the Florida League of Cities website. ' ► Provide Florida League of Cities legislative staff with copies of letters, reports, data, emails, etc. that you have sent to your legislators. / Volunteer to serve as chairman of one of the Florida League of Cities ' legislative policy committees. ► Recruit other city officials to be a part of the League's advocacy team. / Volunteer to provide legislative updates at civic and business organizations regarding pending legislation affecting your community and their business. Conclusion ' During the next decade, Florida's cities will face tremendous challenges as we work to get our economy back on track. As municipal officials, you understand we can't meet these challenges alone and will need the support of our state ' elected colleagues. Effective advocacy is the foundation for building these relationships. As the saying goes, "There is no 'I' in teamwork, but there is a 'WE- Municipal leaders statewide have an opportunity right now to start build- ing a bridge that will lead to good public policy and legislators who respect and protect Home Rule authority. Start your advocacy plan today and become part of the team that will help shape Florida's future. 1 ' 43 Endnotes 'Legislators refers to all legislators who represent a municipality. 2Joel Blackwell, Personal Political Power, How Ordinary People Can Get What They Want From Government(Pilgrim Pr 2001). 'Kevin Cate Communications, "Communicating with the Florida Legislature," May 2013. Available at www.catecomm.com. 'Joel Blackwell, Personal Political Power, How Ordinary People Can Get What They Want From Government(Pilgrim Pr 2001). 5lbid. 6lbid. 'Ibid. 8lbid. 9lbid. 10lbid. "Kevin Cate Communications, "Communicating with the Florida Legislature," May 2013. Available at www.catecomm.com. 'Joel Blackwell, Personal Political Power, How Ordinary People Can Get What They Want From Government(Pilgrim Pr 2001). 13lbid. NOTES: 44 1 Appendix A � Sample Letters, Resolutions and Legislative Agendas 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 45 1 CiI y 7lorida City aeh.a o fhe 3lo►ida Keys and £ue►yladet 1 March 5, 2013 The Honorable Holly Merrill Raschein 1 1003 The Capitol 402 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300 1 Dear Representative Raschein: 1 House Bill 7007 and Senate Bill 494 have been filed to amend the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Act. These bills allege that the existing 1 CDBG Act contains a number of provisions that restrict the program's ability to be flexible. We are opposed to this legislation as written and ask that you join us in that opposition. This legislation will give the Department of Economic Opportunity unbridled 1 discretion to convert the existing program to one which will operate at the whim of a future sitting Governor rather than one that provides for the needs of the small cities of Florida based on their input to their legislators. The funding is provided to the state by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. ' The main purpose of the State of Florida Small Cities CDBG program is to meet the needs of low and moderate income families. This is done through such activities as housing rehabilitation, neighborhood infrastructure, redevelopment of blighted downtowns, and 1 infrastructure for private sector employers that is needed for new job creation. Since 1985 when the program began in Florida, hundreds of small cities and tens of thousands of low income families have been assisted through the State Small Cities CDBG program. 1 Over the years, most of the assistance to small local governments has come in the form of rehabilitation of substandard housing (usually homeowner occupied) and construction of water lines, sewer lines, drainage, and roadways in low income neighborhoods. The funding has been provided as grants to the small cities. 1 The current agenda of the Department of Economic Opportunity, despite the rhetoric, is to convert the program to one that will do economic development projects and little else. We 1 believe that there are tens of millions of dollars available to the Governor to assist good job 1 404 West Palm Drive • PO. Box 343570 • Florida City, Florida 33034-0570 • Telephone(305)247-8221 • Fax(305) 242-8133 etrvct.i t)PAPI R 47 creating businesses. This is the only grant program that consistently provides assistance to small cites to help their most vulnerable populations. Yes, some of the existing funding can be used for economic development projects, and has been for many years. Of the $21.5 million that was available in the program, $8.6 million was used for economic development purposes. We happen to believe that this is enough and that the balance should go to other needs of small cities. You may ask why we have not objected prior to this point. We were not notified by DEO about the proposed legislative change and we were not given adequate time to provide input. We believe that this legislation was prepared in a vacuum by the Department without any local government buy-in. In prior years when major legislative changes were being proposed to this program, the Department of Community Affairs would create a task force to provide input. The task force would consist of local government staff, private sector consultants, Regional Planning Council staff, and others involved in the implementation of the program. The task force was overwhelmingly made up of non-state government employees and would meet in Tallahassee and work out a consensus on any program changes. The result was a bottom up effective program that met the needs of small local governments. Our request to you is that you oppose this legislation. We further ask that you contact DEO and request that they withdraw support for the legislation and create a task force to work with the Department on any changes that the Department is recommending. We believe that this will be in the best interest of the small cities of the State of Florida. Sincerely yours, L Otis T Wallace, Mayor City of Florida City. cc Florida League of Cities 48 1 1 CiIyo i_ 3to,ida Cil a► r 7.2' w , fjaleaay la the 3torida keys and £oerglades 1 March 5, 2013 The Honorable Dwight Bullard 218 Senate Office Building 404 South Monroe Street 1 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100 RE: Proposed Legislation Changing the State Small Cities Community Development ' Block Grant Program Dear Senator Bullard: ' House Bill 7007 and Senate Bill 494 have been filed to amend the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Act. These bills allege that the existing ' CDBG Act contains a number of provisions that restrict the program's ability to be flexible. We are opposed to this legislation as written and ask that you loin us in that ' opposition. This legislation will give the Department of Economic Opportunity unbridled discretion to convert the existing program to one which will operate at the whim of a future sitting Governor rather than one that provides for the needs of the small cities of Florida ' based on their input to their legislators. The funding is provided to the state by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The main purpose of the State of Florida Small Cities CDBG program is to meet the needs of low and moderate income families. This is done through such activities as housing rehabilitation, neighborhood infrastructure, redevelopment of blighted downtowns, and infrastructure for private sector employers that is needed for new job creation. Since 1985 when the program began in Florida, hundreds of small cities and tens of thousands of low income families have been assisted through the State Small Cities CDBG program. Over the years, most of the assistance to small local governments has come in the form of rehabilitation of substandard housing (usually homeowner occupied) and construction of water lines, sewer lines, drainage, and roadways in low income neighborhoods. The funding has been provided as grants to the small cities. 404 West Palm Drive • P.O. Box 343570 • Florida City, Florida 33034-0570 • Telephone(305) 247-8221 • Fax(305) 242-8133 vRECYCLED PAPER ' 49 The current agenda of the Department of Economic Opportunity, despite the rhetoric, is to convert the program to one that will do economic development projects and little else. We believe that there are tens of millions of dollars available to the Governor to assist good job creating businesses. This is the only grant program that consistently provides assistance to small cites to help their most vulnerable populations. Yes, some of the existing funding can be used for economic development projects, and has been for many years. Of the $21.5 million that was available in the program, $8.6 million was used for economic development purposes. We happen to believe that this is enough and that the balance should go to other needs of small cities. You may ask why we have not objected prior to this point. We were not notified by DEO about the proposed legislative change and we were not given adequate time to provide input. We believe that this legislation was prepared in a vacuum by the Department without any local government buy-in. In prior years when major legislative changes were being proposed to this program, the Department of Community Affairs would create a task force to provide input. The task force would consist of local government staff, private sector consultants, Regional Planning Council staff, and others involved in the implementation of the program. The task force was overwhelmingly made up of non-state government employees and would meet in Tallahassee and work out a consensus on any program changes. The result was a bottom up effective program that met the needs of small local governments. Our request to you is that you oppose this legislation. We further ask that you contact DEO and request that they withdraw support for the legislation and create a task force to work with the Department on any changes that the Department is recommending. We believe that this will be in the best interest of the small cities of the State of Florida. • Sincerely yours, \ V A0-/U Otis T Wallace, Mayor City of Florida City. cc Florida League of Cities 50 I Ans CITY OF. i "i MOUNT DORA I M A Y O R City Hall I 510 N.Baker St. Mount Dora,FL 32757 January 16, 2013 Office of the City Manager Senator Alan Hays, Vice Chair II 352-735-7126 y Fax:352-383-4801 Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee Customer Service Hand-Delivered 352-735-7105 Tallahassee, Florida I Fax:352-735-2892 Finance Department Honorable Senator Hays: 352-735-7118 I Fax:an 352-735-1406 The City of Mount Dora has directed this letter to you in your capacity as Chairman Human Resources of the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee. We wish to Fax express our appreciation for the service that you have and continue to provide the Fax:352-735-9457 P PP y P I Planning and Development 352-735-7112 citizens of the State of Florida. Fax:352-735-7191 Nevertheless we are concerned about the direction that the proposed bill related to I City Hall Annex local government retirement plans for Firefighter and Police Officer Pensions under 900 N.Donnelly St Chapters 175 or 185, Florida Statutes appears to be taking. Mount Dora,FL 32757 r Parks and Recreation The Department of Managerial Services correspondence in August 2012 with the 352-735-7183 Cities of Naples and Hollywood outlined an approach with both the Police Officer Fax:352-735-3681 and Firefighter Pension Plans which is fair and equitable to the Police Officers and Public Safety Complex Firefighters as well as to the Cities. The City of Mount Dora has been negotiating I 1300 N.Donnelly St. Mount Dora,FL 32757 with both Public Safety Unions in accordance with the Department of Managerial Services August 2012 Directives. We are about to successfully conclude these Police Department negotiations with signed labor contracts. 352-735-7130 I Fax:352-383-4623 Unfortunately, the proposed Bill is not in accordance with the August 2012 Fire Department 352-735-7140 Department of Managerial Services directives. The proposed Bill will only I Fax:352-383-0881 increase the City's cost for Police and Firefighters Pensions. Public Works Complex 1250 N.Highland sr. Please let us have legislation that puts into law the Department Managerial Services Mount Dora,FL 32757 August 2012 directives outlined in their letters to the Cities of Naples and I 352-735-7151 Fax:352-735-1539 Hollywood. W.T.Bland Public Library We have an obligation to provide our public safety personnel pension plans that are I 1995 N.Donnelly St. g P P tY Pe Pe P Mount Dora,FL 32757 sustainable and the Cities can afford. 352-735-7180 Fax:352-735-0074 We are unable to attend your workshop, hence the reason for this letter. I Website: www.cityofmountdora.com We are available for further discussions on this subject. I ' Sinc rely, / t ,, i r�� Robert le elm, i I I 51 • ;Apopka City Commissioner,Seat 3 t_ =` P O.Box,1229,Apopka,EL 32704-1229 40/.. EmaiE katfryspudfao(com „R�„� c Phone:407-484-3597 - Comment[KT1]:Knows immediately where Tit official is from J�``� t /r�l S. lit May 2,2008 Representative Jim Waldman 4800 West Copans Road Coconut Creek,FL 33063 Representative Waldman, On behalf of the City of Apopka,I would like to personally thank you for opposing HJR 7125 and HJR949 and demonstrating your support of local government. Having served at the local level,it is clear that you understand the on-going burden for local governments of unfunded mandates!. Comment[KT2]:Recognizes his service in �—— local government. lAs with our state budget,cities and counties across Florida are facing severe budget cuts at the local level during this fiscal year. In Apopka alone,our revenue collected from impact fees is down 80%from the prior year,due to the slow-down in new construction i Comment[KT3]:Fiscal impact on a local community. This is a critical time in our state,so it is imperative for local and state officials to work together to find creative solutions that bring tax relief to our citizens without shifting the burden down to the local government. Even though I am not a resident of your district,I would be happy to meet with you to discuss how we can continue to work together towards a brighter future and P a better Florida.! --{ Comment[KT4]:How can I help you? ) ` Respectfully, Kathy S.Till,Commissioner S . P . P 52 PP I I From: Mike Grebosz fmailto:Greboszm@adeland.orgl Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 4:41 PM To: latyala.iack.web(@flsenate.gov Subject: Oppose SB 1460 IDear Senator Latvala, I The City of DeLand opposes SB 1460 and would ask for your opposition of the bill. Beyond trying to dilute a municipality's home rule, SB 1460 preempts and supersedes any local ordinance or regulation that grants a local preference to a vendor for the purchase of personal property or construction services with funds that are appropriated in whole or in part from the state.The preemption includes any vendor that maintains an office or I place of business hires local employees or subcontractors within the local jurisdiction or has made a prior payment of local taxes or assessments within the local jurisdiction.The City of DeLand along with the Florida League of Cities opposes this bill for the following reasons: • It is contradictory for the state to be able to use vendor preference polices to support Florida businesses and then preempt local governments from adopting these policies to support their local businesses and local taxpayers. • Local preference ordinances are fair, reasonable and serve a legitimate public purpose—they are an important economic development tool and can help strengthen the local economy and improve the climate for local businesses to grow, prosper and create jobs. • The bill will increase local taxpayers' costs as a result of lost economic activity. Dollars that would otherwise be recirculated in the local economy for the benefit of business, schools, etc.will instead be exported to another community. • The bill rests on an unfair principle that says even if the state share is as little as 1%of the project costs, Istate policy controls and no preference can be given to local vendors. Thank you for your consideration of this issue and we trust that you will do the right thing for our citizens. I Sincerely, Robert F. Apgar Mayor-Commissioner I City of DeLand aogarr @deland.org I I I I I I I 53 The City of Melbourne 900 E. Strawbridge Avenue ® Melbourne, FL 32901 ® (321) 727-2900 • Fax (321) 953-6207 June 30, 2011 The Honorable Seth McKeel Florida House of Representatives 422 The Capitol 402 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300 Dear Rep. McKeel: I write to you as Mayor of the City of Melbourne and as a former State representative myself, I can not tell you how pleased we were to see your Home Rule orientation inside the legislature. Your.approach and keen insights obviously carried over from your local elected service in Lakeland. Thank you for all that you are doing and the manner in which you are carrying it out on behalf of Florida cities and all of our constituents. Cordially, HQ y C. Goode, Jr. Mayor HCG/JMS/sam C: City Council Honorable Representative Dean Cannon, Speaker of the Florida House Jack Schluckebier, City Manager Rebecca O'Hara, Florida League of Cities An Equal Opportunity Employer 54 •Internet: www.melbourneflorida.org •E-Mail: cityhall@melbourneflorida.org 1 City of Melbourne 1 City Manager's Office 1 900 E. Strawbridge Avenue 0 Melbourne, FL 32901 ® (321) 608-7200 0 Fax(321) 608-7219 June 30, 2011 1 The Honorable Seth McKeel 1 Florida House of Representatives 422 The Capitol 402 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300 Dear Rep. McKeel: 1 ' I am writing to express my appreciation for your efforts to work with cities in the many 1 issues confronting our citizens. As a member of the small group of city managers working with you and Rebecca O'Hara 1 at the Florida League of Cities, I saw first hand your high level of interest and dedication to achieving good public policy through consultation and collaboration. 1 Not to belabor the point, but I especially appreciated your enlightened Home Rule approach and also the monumental leadership you exhibited in the progress made toward necessary reforms in public pension. Thank you. 1 Sincerely, omits 1 ck M. Schluckebier,Ph.D. City Manager 1 JMS/sam 1 C: Mayor and Council Honorable Representative Dean Cannon, Speaker of the Florida House Rebecca O'Hara, Florida League of Cities • 1 1 1 An Equal Opportunity Employer 5 5 1 www.melbourneflorida.org • citymanager@melbourneflorida.org 1 1 Appendix B 1 Reports and Resolutions for Legislators and 1 Municipal Councils 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 57 C t L I L I I I L I I LNOTES: L 58 .% \\\ • 11 r; , , 1,,.' MEMORANDUM •.1 • "''''� To: Colleen Hufford, City Commissioner From: Randy Newlon, City Manager ' January Date: Janu 15, 2013 • , Subject: Premium Taxes and Enhanced Benefits—An Opportunity for Pension Reform and Sustainability t The Casselberry Police Officers and Firefighters Pension Plan was organized on January 1, 1996 ' under sections 175 and 185 of Florida statutes. Up until then all public safety employees were members of the Florida Retirement System (FRS) Special Risk plan. Going forward all new hires would be assigned to the new plan. The plans began a slow transition where membership ' shifted from FRS into the new plan as old employees left and new ones were hired. The complete transition is still not finished. There are still some public safety employees that belong to FRS Special Risk. The growth in Casselberry plan membership in the last five years is shown below. Please note the dip in 2012 was from vacant positions which were filled later. ' Members 76 -- 74 -- - 72 70 --- 68 - 66 64 - 62 - 60 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 The City's cost to carry the plan has been growing each year. There are normal and understandable reasons for the cost increase. These include: increasing base salaries; recent poor ' investment returns; and a growing membership base. ' 59 City Contribution $1,000,000 EEEEEE $600,000 +r $500,000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 The pension overall is funded from three sources: member contributions; premium tax dollars; and the City contribution. The members are subject to withholding and contribute one-half a percent of payroll. The premium tax dollars are a fixed amount at $183,000 each year. The City is responsible to pay into the plan whatever remains that is actuarially required. Premium tax dollars are from surtax on auto and homeowner insurance policies collected in Tallahassee and forwarded on to local pension plans. For the past several years the amount from premium taxes that has been paid toward pension benefits has been "frozen" and is presently set at $183,000. The City actually receives more than that each year. Premium Taxes Collected $400,000 $350,000 - $300,000 $250,000 ! ! Excess $200,000 NI Frozen $150,000 . . . at $100,000 -- $50,000 $_ 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 111 State law requires that the excess be held separately within the pension fund and it is called the "Excess State Monies Reserve." This money can only be accessed if the plan implements a benefit enhancement. The "Reserve" can be drawn down to pay into the fund for the cost to implement a benefit enhancement applicable to past years. Until then, the reserve exists within the plan assets but does not apply toward future plan liabilities. The money sits and waits for a benefit enhancement to be authorized. 60 1 Total Plan Assets at 10/01/2013 $1,394,194 1 II Plan Assets ' r Excess Reserve $9,523,403 ' The "frozen" amount can be reset higher but only if a new benefit enhancement is approved. It then allows future distributions of premium tax to offset the current cost to carry the new benefit ' enhancement. The problem is that the reset is again frozen. Though the plan is made whole at first, the City must fund the higher cost to carry the added plan benefits brought by rising salaries over time and the cost to provide the same enhancement to a growing number of plan members. ' The cost to the City to carry the plan will be higher than it would have been if no benefit enhancement had been implemented. The City of Casselberry has resisted the implementation of new benefits. ' Because the "frozen" amount does not grow with the predictable growth in pension costs, its relative share of total pension funding declines. The burden is shifted onto the City. The City's ' contribution rate grows faster as the overall cost to provide the pension grows. The impact of the frozen premium tax funding diminishes. Contribution Percentages 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 •Member +4 Frozen Amount City ' The actuary examines the plan annually and establishes the rate at which the City must contribute to the plan to keep it actuarially sound. The Aggregate Actuarial Cost Method is used 61 for this purpose. The Casselberry plan projects an Actuarial Accrued Liability (AAL) of $10,917,597 at October 1, 2013. This is normal. The plan sponsor(the City) pays into the plan now over time to prepare for future obligations. There is no Unfunded AAL reported. The City is keeping up with its funding obligations despite rising contribution rates. Government Accounting Standards require that the actuary must also report using a more conservative method called the Entry Age Normal Cost Method. Under this method the actuary calculates a growing Unfunded AAL measured at $1,593,497 at October 1, 2013. Under this method the Unfunded AAL for Casselberry is approximately the same as the Excess Reserve Account that the pension plan is holding. Asset to Liability Comparison Unfunded AAL- f $1,394,194 Entry Age Excess Reserve $1,593,497 If Casselberry could use the Excess Reserve Funds to pay for future plan liabilities without the requirement to add new benefit enhancements, the Unfunded AAL under the Entry Age Normal Cost Method would be almost eliminated. If Premium Taxes were allowed to pay for plan obligations entirely when collected instead of just a frozen amount, then the growth in the Unfunded AAL under the Entry Age Normal Cost Method would be contained. State law that restricts the utilization of excess premium tax distributions to new benefit enhancements is harmful to the sustainability of Police and Firefighter Pension plans. The new benefits almost always increase the burden of the sponsoring government to a level that is higher than necessary to maintain a competitive pension plan. There is an immediate need for restrictions on premium tax distributions to be lifted for the good of all Section 175/185 pension plans. 62 I ,NNNNN%',4 Iilk ,M�i I 5 em to iii6_ .. MEMORANDUM ,t`+l,.. ITo: Colleen Hufford, City Commissioner From: Randy Newlon,City Manager IDate: January 15,2013 I Subject: Collection of City Costs for Code Enforcement Abatement as Non-ad valorem Special Assessments A municipal government relies on a diverse range of revenue sources to fund the services it I provides. This revenue only begins with ad valorem taxes. They include sales and utility taxes, fees for service, fines and forfeitures, franchise fees, etc. Even with the most efficient organization costs to provide service by a local government will rise — if only because of I inflation. For fairness of distribution of the government burden to citizens and businesses, the revenue base should rise as well. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grows bringing sales tax along. Utility sales grow pulling up taxes and franchise fees. Real estate appreciates in value Iincreasing the wealth of the owners. The Communications Services Tax (CST) was established October 1, 2001. It replaced locally I assessed taxes and franchise fees. It was organized at the State level, a fixed rate was established and the tax was collected from service providers and then remitted down to the local governments. The tax was on telecommunications (land line and wireless phone), cable, direct- I to-home satellite, and related services. Below please find a chart that illustrates Casselberry collections from FY 2002 through FY 2012. I Communication Services Tax (CST) I $1,350,000 $1,300,000 $; EE,2 ,0 ,0###"#* N.%**4‘*%/4\4\14\s\sis\ I $ �,-. I $1,100,000 1 $1,050,000 I I $1,000,000 , , , , , , , , 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 I 63 Collections peaked in FY 2009 and have maintained a sharp downward trend thereafter. This revenue is down nearly 20% from its best year. Changes in the marketplace have severely impacted the base on which this tax is derived. Services are being bundled at discounted prices. Telephone companies sell cable and cable companies sell telephone services. Customers can set up telephone service through internet connections. Households are giving up land lines and relying only on cell phones. Pre-paid cell phones that cannot be matched to a local customer may not be subject to tax. With the establishment of the CST, local governments gave up home rule authority over this revenue source. To preserve the fiscal health of local governments I would suggest that any legislation that would further diminish the CST tax base without compensating revenue replacement should be resisted. Further, I would argue that there is already a need to shore up the tax base and perhaps even increase the tax rate. 64 I RESOLUTION 2012-44 I A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WAUCHULA, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA OF THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES, INC.; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. IWHEREAS, the City of'\\'auchula, Florida (the "City") is a participant and a beneficiary of the organization known as the Florida League of Cities,Inc. (the"1.eagile");and IWHEREAS, the league coordinates efforts to oppose or support legislation that affects the municipalities of the State of Florida;and I WHEREAS, the City Commission (the "Commission") of the City appreciates the league and its efforts to promote and support the municipalities of the State of Florida. I NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WAUCHULA,FLORIDA,THAT: I 1. The Commission approves and endorses the proposed policy of the League to oppose legislation that modifies,restricts or eliminates the authority of municipalities to levy, collect, and/or expend the communications services tax and local business tax. I 2. The Commission approves and endorses the proposed policy of the 1.eague to support legislation that provides comprehensive municipal firefighter and police officer pension reform and disability presumption reform. I3. The Commission approves and endorses the proposed policy of the League to oppose legislation that modifies, restricts or eliminates municipalities I lome Rule Authority under Article VIII, Sections 2(b)and 3(b), Florida Constitution,and the Municipal 1-tome Rule Powers Act. I4. 'Ibis resolution shall become effective upon adoption by the Commission. I Preston On Motion of Commissioner Detwiler , seconded by Commissioner , the above resolution was introduced and approved by the City Commission of the City of\\'auchula, Florida,on the 13th day of November ,2012. I (SE AI.) 1 A'1' 'EST: 1 ,r-) (:1'1'1'OF\\'Al1CI IUL;\ C -.-4--- 0. L.. ._,-)• e --iv■ -‘1P. -�L N4A II loll I).Smi ),City Clerk Richard Keith Nadask. ,Jr.,,\layor IAPPROVED AS'1'C) FORM: ..: I Clifford N. ;Wes, Ill, City Attorney B1 apve,_./„.„„ , ,....„- I I 65 RESOLUTION 13-01 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF WINTER GARDEN SUPPORTING POLICE OFFICER AND FIREFIGHTER PENSION PLAN AND DISABILITY PRESUMPTION REFORMS TO MAKE THE PLANS SUSTAINABLE, SOUND AND SECURE FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS. WHEREAS, to honor their service now and in years to come, current and future police officers and firefighters in the City of Winter Garden deserve pension plans that are sound,secure and sustainable;and WHEREAS, City of Winter Garden opposes unfunded mandates from the Florida Legislature that have created a pension plan system for city police officers and firefighters that is unstable, unsustainable and unreliable for current and future police officers and firefighters;and WHEREAS, state level police and fire unions have exercised undue influence on the Florida Legislature relating to the provision of city police officer and firefighter pensions and disability presumptions;and WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature has imposed significant unfunded mandates onto the City relative to the operation of the City's police officer and firefighter defined benefit pension plans by mandating minimum pension benefit levels and mandating the use of revenues to fund pension plan costs;and WHEREAS, unfunded city police officer and firefighter pension mandates from the Florida Legislature result in a direct expenditure of local taxpayer dollars without the benefit of local taxpayer input;and WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature has provided that health conditions related to heart disease, hypertension or tuberculosis suffered by a police officer or firefighter are presumed to be job related, and these "disability presumptions" are applicable to both workers'compensation and disability pension claims;and WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature has written and the courts have interpreted the disability presumption laws so favorably toward these employees that cities and other government employers basically cannot overcome the presumption and show the health condition was not work related;and WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature transferred all operational and administrative control of police and firefighter pension plans from the City to a legislatively created board of trustees,a separate legal entity apart from the City that exercises broad powers outside the City's control, and is not required to provide fiscal transparency or accountability for substantial amounts of public funds;and WHEREAS, the City is seeking immediate mandate relief from the Florida Legislature and requests the Legislature to untie its hands so that it can responsibly address its pension and other personnel issues locally and in a manner that best serves its taxpayers, stops potential pension abuse and protects pensions for current and future generations of police and firefighters. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WINTER GARDEN,FLORIDA: Section 1. That the City hereby supports responsible police and firefighter defined benefit pension and disability presumption reforms to ensure sound, secure and stable pensions will be there for current and future police and firefighters. 66 Section 2. That the City believes local issues should be addressed locally and hereby requests the Florida Legislature to remove itself from the local collective bargaining process between the City and its police and firefighters. Section 3. That the City hereby requests the Florida Legislature to remove mandates establishing minimum pension benefit standards for police and firefighter ' pensions, remove the requirement to provide new, extra pension benefits to police and firefighters, and allow the City to use insurance premium tax revenues to pay for the level of pension benefits for police and firefighters that meets the needs and priorities of the City. Section 4. That the City hereby requests the Florida Legislature to enact responsible reforms to bring a fairer balance to the application of disability presumption ' laws relating to certain health conditions suffered by firefighters and police officers by allowing a disability presumption to be overcome by a preponderance of the evidence,and allowing certain individual risk factors to be considered when applying a disability presumption, such as tobacco or alcohol ' use,weight and diet,genetics and lifestyle choices. Section 5. That the City hereby requests the Florida Legislature to impose reasonable fiscal transparency and accountability standards on legislatively created police and ' firefighter pension boards of trustees. Section 6. That the City urges the Florida Legislature to pass and the Governor to approve the above responsible reform recommendations relating to police and firefighter pension plans and disability presumptions in the 2013 legislative session. Section 7. That the City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of this resolution to Governor ' Rick Scott,the Florida Legislature,and the Florida League of Cities,Inc. Section 8. That this resolution shall be effective upon adoption. PASSED IN OPEN AND REGULAR SESSION OF THE CITY CAMMISSION OF THE ITY OF WINTER GARDEN, FLORIDA, THIS 1 `'t''` DAY OF P br ui1 ,2013. APPROVED: 1 � ' J: '1'REES,Mayor/Commissioner ATTEST: 1 •THY • S EN,City Clerk Version:11/82012 1 67 CITY OF FORT MYERS 2012 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA The following 2012 legislative agenda issues were discussed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Fort Myers on August 1, 2011. The legislative agenda is prepared to communicate a Fort Myers platform on issues to be considered by the 2012 Florida Legislature. The legislative agenda is provided to the Local Legislative Delegation, Florida League of Cities, and lobbyist J. Keith Arnold, to assist in representing the interests of Fort Myers in State governance. The local legislative delegation for Lee County consists of the following members: Senator Michael Bennett (District 21), Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto (District 27), Senator Garrett Richter (District 37), Representative Ken Roberson (District 71), Representative Paige Kreegle (District 72), Representative Matthew Caldwell (District 73), Representative Gary Aubuchon (District 74), and Representative Trudi Williams (District 75). Senator terms expire in 2012 and the Representatives reflect the 2010 election results. Energy and Environmental Quality • Oil and Gas Exploration. Oppose legislation authorizing exploration and drilling for oil and gas within Florida's territorial waters if the legislation fails to ensure scientific evidence of no impact to the travel-tourism industry for any drilling within 25 miles of the shoreline, limits or preempts municipal input and authority, or fails to properly apportion revenues derived from any gas or oil exploration in an equitable manner between cities and counties. • Support the Restoration of Funding to the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program. Supports the restoration of funding by the State to the Florida Recreation Assistance Program (FRDAP) to clear the current backlog of granted projects and provide sufficient additional matching grant funds to provide for the development of parks and recreation facilities to provide for the expected quality of life and sense of place provided by municipalities. Finance and Taxation • Oppose Unfunded Mandates. Support legislation that strengthens the prohibition on unfunded mandates, improves identification and quantification procedures, eliminates loopholes, and requires full funding of new State mandates to the City. Action will be taken by the City's lobbyist as directed by 68 1 the City to oppose bills filed that create unfunded mandates. Efforts on this issue will be coordinated with the Florida League of Cities. 1 • Support Preservation and Expansion of Local Government Revenues and Oppose Legislation that Seeks to Cap Revenues or Limit Local Governance of Fiscal Policies. Oppose legislation such as the TABOR amendment that seeks to cap revenues of state and local governments. The City will oppose bills filed that attack home rule and cap local revenues. Efforts on this issue will be ' coordinated with the Florida League of Cities. • Support the Introduction of Legislation extending the Authority to Cities to Establish and Receive Revenues from a Bed Tax. Support the development and introduction of legislation extending the authority of Fort Myers to implement a Bed Tax. The Florida Constitution currently prohibits a municipality from implementing any tax that is not authorized by State Statute. Statute currently permits Counties to levy a Bed Tax for the use of ' travel and tourism activities. The proposed language would extend the existing authority granted to counties to municipalities. ' • Support the Local Option Gas Tax for Urban Transportation Needs. Supports the authorization of cities to levy, by referendum, up to 2 cents of the existing 5-cent local option gas tax authorized by Statute to provide ' for local transportation needs and "Complete Streets" programs. Growth Management and Transportation • Support Legislation that Promotes Growth and Redevelopment in Urban Areas. Supports legislation that promotes quality urban development, ' especially new statutory regulatory incentives for projects that involve infill development, job creation, and economic development. The issue will be coordinated with the Florida League of Cities and the Florida ' Redevelopment Association. • Support the Funding of the Florida Brownfield Program and Tax Credits. ' Supports the funding by the State of the Florida Brownfield Program Voluntary Cleanup Tax credit to clear the current backlog and to provide ' sufficient additional tax credit funding to encourage the redevelopment of blighted urban areas. ' Intergovernmental Relations • Support the Limited Use of Eminent Domain for Economic Development. ' Support the introduction of legislation that provides for the limited use of eminent domain by municipal governments and redevelopment agencies for the assembly of land in blighted areas for redevelopment purposes. ' 69 • Support the Restoration of Funding for the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP). Supports the funding by the State of the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) from the Sadowski Trust Fund. The City uses SHIP funding to alleviate the backlog of residential rehabilitation projects for the elderly, disabled, and low-income persons. • Support Re-introduction of SB 414 to Create Super Enterprise Zones and Seek the Inclusion of Fort Myers in the Pilot Designation. Super Enterprise Zones are designated areas of existing enterprise zones with higher rates of unemployment and poverty. The designation would spur job creation and economic development through enhanced State tax incentives beyond those of existing enterprise zones. Enhanced incentives in SB 414 provide an exemption to certified businesses from paying for tangible personal property, sales, and use tax on purchases for their exclusive use within the zone. Items sold from within the zone priced less than $1,000 are exempt from sales and use tax. • Support the 2012 Legislative Agenda of the Florida League of Cities. In adopting the 2012 Legislative Agenda for the City of Fort Myers, City Council includes the legislative efforts and platform of the Florida League of Cities as consistent with the efforts of the City. Urban Administration • Ensure the Continuation of State Funding for Pensions. Support the continuation of funding by the State through the appropriation of Chapter 175 and Chapter 185 funds for use in all pension programs including defined benefit programs, defined contribution programs, and fire and police participation in the Florida Retirement System. • Support the Use of State Funds to Support Police and Fire Pension Programs. Support efforts to enable State Chapter 175 and Chapter 185 funds to be used to support current benefits of police and fire pension programs. Bill language was drafted in 2009 for this issue. Legislation adopted in 2010 did not address this issue. • Support a Joint Resolution for a Constitutional Amendment to allow the Forfeiture of Real Property to Abate Criminal Nuisances on Homestead Properties. Supports the adoption of a Joint Resolution for a Constitutional Amendment to Article X, Section 4 of the State Constitution to support law enforcement efforts to abate criminal nuisance properties by providing an exception to homestead protection to allow property forfeiture when a clear nexus exists between the property and criminal activity. 70 I • Support the Protection of Local Ordinances that Regulate Loud Music. Supports the amendment of enabling Statutes for the operation of radios ' or other mechanical sound making devices or instruments in vehicles to change wording that was deemed by the Courts to be overly vague and "a content-based restriction on free speech which violates the First Amendment". Amending the Statute to address the Court concern protects the continued enforcement of municipal noise ordinances that are based ' on the Statute. • Support a Legislative Amendment to Increase the Requirements for ' Charter Amendments of the Electors of a Municipality. Seeks the amendment of State Statute 166.031 to increase the requirements for citizen petitions initiatives to amend municipal Charters to protect Charters from frivolous initiatives and reduce the financial burden on the taxpayers when such referendums are placed on the ballot. ' 71 2012 Northwest Florida League of Cities Legislative Priorities During July-September 2011, the Northwest Florida League of Cities (NWFLC) solicited input from its member and non-member cities regarding the major legislative issues the NWFLC should focus on for 2012. The input was solicited and obtained through its Annual Legislative Survey mailed and faxed out to every member and non-member city, through e-mail, and from telephone communications. The draft priorities were presented and approved at the October 20, 2011 NWFLC Board of Directors meeting held in Jay, Florida. The NWFLC covers a 17-county geographic region that includes over 440,000 constituents, and works closely with the Florida League of Cities in representing the interests of Northwest Florida's municipalities to the Florida Legislature, the Executive Office of the Governor and Cabinet, and state agencies. The cornerstone legislative priorities for the NWFLC each year are to (1) vigorously oppose any efforts to impose unfunded mandates on municipalities and (2) vigorously oppose any attempts to usurp or reduce either through statute or by constitutional amendment the Home Rule governing authority of municipal government. In addition, the NWFLC will strongly support state legislation, constitutional amendments, or program initiatives that preserve existing municipal funding sources, create new or expand existing municipal revenue capacity options, or provides greater flexibility for municipal government fiscal home rule authority in order to adequately fund and provide for the services and needs of their communities and citizens. The following represents the 2012 legislative priorities of the NWFLC: Increased Funding for Transportation, Water and Wastewater Infrastructure The NWFLC will support legislation and programs that provide equitable, dedicated and recurring revenue source(s) for municipal transportation projects and opposes any transfer or diversion of State Transportation Trust Fund revenues to balance the state budget. Furthermore, the NWFLC supports legislation prohibiting the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) from allocating more than 65 percent of any new discretionary highway capacity funds to the Florida Strategic Intermodal System. Such funds should be allocated equitably to all FDOT districts, including Northwest Florida, and in a manner that provides maximum flexibility for project eligibility including critical local and regional road expansions and improvements, and the feasibility of developing and implementing public/private partnerships for such projects. The NWFLC strongly supports funding for improved and expanded wastewater, potable water, and surface water infrastructure facilities. Establishment of a dedicated revenue source for small and rural cities to expand capacity and retrofit existing infrastructure is critical. Local Government Pension Plans The NWFLC will support legislation that enhances municipal control over municipal employee pension plan negotiation, management and funding. Moreover, the NWFLC will support legislation that provides comprehensive municipal firefighter and police officer pension reform. Any comprehensive pension reform package should address the use of the insurance premium tax revenues by repealing the mandate for cities to perpetually provide new, "extra" pension benefits for police/fire, and provide for accountability by police/fire pension boards of trustees. The reform package should also include modifications to the current statutory disability presumptions for firefighters, law enforcement officers, and correctional officers relating to tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension. 72 1 1 0.1114 4, 1 , L I No Legislative Update & Action Pla n Preparing for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 CITY OF APOPKA 1 2008 Authored by: Commissioner Kathy Till 1 1 1 73 iw Legislative Update & Action Plan ' Preparing for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session Report Overview The invasion of home rule authority by the State Legislature continued during the 2007-2008 legislative session, and with the burden of balancing the state budget, it is anticipated that it will happen again in the upcoming session. This invasion erodes the ability and effectiveness of local government(municipalities) to provide services for their constituents in an efficient,cost effective manner. We cannot allow for the state to balance their budget on the backs of the local government by passing down unfunded mandates. As local elected officials,we have a responsibility to work closely with our legislature to inform them of our concerns with their decision making process and work collaboratively for solutions that will benefit the state, municipality and most importantly our citizens. The purpose of this report to is to review the most significant House and Senate bills that failed during the 2007-2008 session, but have the greatest likelihood of being brought forward in the upcoming session that will negatively affect local government. It also outlines a plan of action to begin working now with our state representatives. HB63 (Scionti) and SB 360 (Fasano) - Community Redevelopment These bills would have authorized municipalities and counties to use ad valorem tax revenues to fund law enforcement,fire rescue and emergency medical services within a community redevelopment area. The bills died on the calendar. Central Florida Delegation Committee Representation and Vote History ' HB63 —Died in Committee on State Affairs SB 360—Died in Committee on Community Affairs ' Fiscal Impact to the City of Apopka oCurrently, ad valorem tax revenue funds one-half of our public safety personnel budget with the balance funded through other revenue. Due to the negative fiscal impact from Amendment 1 plus the reduction in ' appraised property values,the city is already losing$2,000,000 in ad valorem revenue for fiscal year - 2008-2009. By requiring public safety personnel to be funded from ad valorem revenues in a 60-block a CRA district, ALL of the annual ad valorem revenue collected would be required to fund personnel in this ' o area, creating a deficit in available funding for other areas and services. The negative fiscal impact of this r bill would be approximately $ . In lieu of reducing revenue for other services,a loss of ' c> public safety personnel may be required which would have a significant impact citywide on public safety a� for our citizens, or a special assessment may be required within the CRA district to offset the loss of ad valorem revenue available for other services. +�a a) ii 75 I Suggested plan of action a. Prioritize bills by determination of significant impact on the City of Apopka b. Contact all local representatives via letter signed by the entire city commission and senior staff, I outlining the negative fiscal impact of this bill on the municipalities,using the City of Apopka as an example. c. Submit copy of said letter to the Florida League of Cities and Tri-County League of Cities for use in lobbying efforts against this bill. d. Scheduled a meeting with district representatives after the November election to review our objections to this bill and highlight negative fiscal impact on the City of Apopka. e. Collaborate with the local newspaper to print an article to create public awareness of the bill and its negative implications in our community if the bill is passed. f. Develop a forum on the city's web site that highlights the same information. g. Provide residents with contact information for local representatives so they can voice their opinions on various bills I h. Work together with the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce Issues and Government Affairs Committee to advise of the city's position on said bill and its potential impact on our community. HB715 (Flores) and SB 2412 (Haridopolos) — Local Government Revenue I Sources These bills would have required a supermajority vote(3/5 or a majority plus one,whichever was greater) 1 of the local governing body to levy new; increase existing; expand the tax base or area subject to; or to eliminate any exemptions from,taxes, special assessments,non-ad valorem assessments or impact fees. The bills would have required a 3/5 vote of the electors voting in any referendum regarding the same.The requirements would not apply to any tax, fee or assessment increased for the exclusive purpose of repairing or replacing public infrastructure damaged in a disaster that resulted in a declaration of C emergency by the governor. Further,the bills would not have applied to ad valorem taxes, fees other than impact fees,license fee,penalties,fine or other charges for services. Both bills died in committee. Central Florida Delegation Committee Representation and Vote History HB 715 -Passed Committee on State Affairs SB 2412—Died in Committee on Community Affairs co 0 0 N Rep. Gardiner—Y—Committee on State Affairs Rep. Attkission(R)—Y—Committee on State Affairs rn Rep. Thompson(D)—N—Committee on State Affairs Webster(R)—Committee on Community Affairs Siplin(D)—Committee on Community Affairs Haridopolos(R)—Bill Sponsor/Committee on Community Affairs CD Fiscal Impact to the City of Apopka If not approved by 3/5 vote through referendum,no new collection of ad valorem of potential development+no collection of impact fees+cost of special election$10,000 minimum, or delay until ' regular election for any annexation. a) J ' 76 I Suggested Plan of Action a. Prioritize bills by determination of significant impact on the City of Apopka ' b. Contact all local representatives via letter signed by the entire city commission and senior staff, outlining the negative fiscal impact of this bill on the municipalities, using the City of Apopka as ' an example. c. Outline alternative ideas to lessen the impact of the bill in its original form 1) Remove all language about 3/5 vote of electors voting in a referendum ' 2) Add language to exempt impact fees d. Submit copy of said letter to the Florida League of Cities and Tri-County League of Cities for use in lobbying efforts against this bill. ' e. Schedule a meeting with district representatives after the November election to review our objections to this bill and highlight negative fiscal impact on the City of Apopka. f. Collaborate with the local newspaper to print an article to create public awareness of the bill and its negative implications in our community if the bill is passed. g. Develop a forum on the city's web site that highlights the same information. h. Provide residents with contact information for local representatives so they can voice their opinions on various bills i. Work together with the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce Issues and Government Affairs Committee to advise of the city's position on said bill and its potential impact on our community. ' HB 181 (Harrell) and SB 392 (Storms) - Local Government Spending Contracts Transparency This bill would have required cities and other local governments to disclose spending activities under contracts with a value of$5,000 or more. HB 181 died in committee and SB 392 died in Returning Messages. Central Florida Delegation Committee Representation and Vote History ' HB 181 —Passed Committee on Audit and Performance—Local delegation not on committee HB181 —Temporarily deferred in Government Efficiency and Accountability Council SB392—Passed Committee on Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations ' SB392—Passed Committee on Governmental Operations—Local delegation not on committee o SB392—Passed Committee on Finance and Tax N SB392—Passed Committee on Community Affairs Webster(R)—Y—Transportation&Economic Development Appropriations Siplin(D)—Y—Community Affairs ' o Haridopolos(R)—Y—Finance&Tax Committee& Community Affairs Committee oas Fiscal Impact to the City of Apopka ' This bill is an unfunded mandate that would require additional staff time for posting and reporting to the E state information that is already public record 7n ' 77 Suggested Plan of Action a. Prioritize bills by determination of significant impact on the City of Apopka b. Contact all local representatives via letter signed by the entire city commission and senior staff, outlining the negative fiscal impact of this bill on the municipalities, using the City of Apopka as an example. c. Provide information in said letter of how contract information is currently reported and available for public inspection and these bills would only cause a duplication of services. d. Submit copy of said letter to the Florida League of Cities and Tri-County League of Cities for use in lobbying efforts against this bill. e. Schedule a meeting with district representatives after the November election to review our objections to this bill and highlight negative fiscal impact on the City of Apopka. f. Collaborate with the local newspaper to print an article to create public awareness of the bill and its negative implications in our community if the bill is passed. g. Develop a forum on the city's web site that highlights the same information. h. Provide residents with contact information for local representatives so they can voice their opinions on various bills i. Work together with the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce Issues and Government Affairs Committee to advise of the city's position on said bill and its potential impact on our community CS/HB 1267 (Nelson/McKeel) and CS/SB 2352 (Aronberg/Baker) - Fertilizer Model Ordinance Bill These bills addressed the use of consumer fertilizers by requiring local governments to adopt a model ordinance recommended by the Consumer Fertilizer Task Force created during the 2007 session. The bills required a local government to take extraordinary measures in order for it to adopt more stringent regulations and provided no additional funding for fertilizer-related public education provisions. The bills died in committee. Central Florida Delegation Committee Representation and Vote History • HB1267—Passed Committee on Agribusiness HB 1267—Passed Environment&Natural Resource Council SB2352—Passed Committee on Agriculture—Local delegation not on committee SB 2352 Died in Committee on Community Affairs as 0 N c\{ Nelson(R)—Y—Committee on Agribusiness & Environment&Natural Resources Council Randolph(D)—N—Environment&Natural Resource Council Precourt(R)-Y- Environment&Natural Resource Council Thompson(D)—Environment&Natural Resource Council Fiscal Impact to the City of Apopka First and foremost, requiring the adoption of a very strict model ordinance is an invasion of home rule authority simply because the topography and point and non-point water sources throughout the state of Florida varies by city. This means the ordinance needed in Apopka could vary greatly with what is needed > I in neighboring cities. no 4 78 The thresholds outlined in these bills to adopt a more stringent ordinance are very strict and do not provide enough flexibility for local government to adopt stricter guidelines that would be applicable to ' our community. The fiscal impact of these bills is unknown,but would result from the city's inability to adopt a stricter ' ordinance to prevent TMDL's(Total Maximum Daily Loads) in local water bodies within our city limits. By preventing strict guidelines,the burden of cleanup and prevention of TMDL's would fall to the local government as required by state and federal law. Suggested Plan of Action a. Prioritize bills by determination of significant impact on the City of Apopka ' b. Contact all local representatives via letter signed by the entire city commission and senior staff, outlining the negative fiscal impact of this bill on the municipalities, using the City of Apopka as ' an example. c. The Florida League of Cities provided language to be included in the bill,(Exhibit A)which was ignored.We should submit a copy of this language along with the letter that outlines an ' acceptable compromise for cities. The language increases the flexibility of local government in adopting the model ordinance. d. Submit copy of said letter to the Florida League of Cities and Tri-County League of Cities for use ' in lobbying efforts against this bill. e. Schedule a meeting with district representatives after the November election to review our objections to this bill and highlight negative fiscal impact on the City of Apopka. ' f. Collaborate with the local newspaper to print an article to create public awareness of the bill and its negative implications in our community if the bill is passed. g. Develop a forum on the city's web site that highlights the same information. h. Provide residents with contact information for local representatives so they can voice their opinions on various bills i. Work together with the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce Issues and Government Affairs 1 Committee to advise of the city's position on said bill and its potential impact on our community HJR 7125 - State and Local Government Revenue Limitations co This resolution would have revised the existing state constitutional revenue limit and would have imposed a local government revenue limit to be implemented by the Legislature. Local government revenues ' i would have been capped at the amount of revenue for FY 2008-09 plus a growth factor based on ° population and inflation plus one percentage point. It directed the legislature to determine how the local government cap would be implemented,what revenues would be included or excluded, and what types of ' local government entities would be included or excluded. The bill died in Senate Messages. 0 Central Florida Delegation Committee Representation and Vote History ' v HJR 7125—Passed Government Efficiency and Accountability Council 0 HJR 7125—Passed Policy and Budget Council HJR 7125—Passed on the floor of the House 1 I Nelson(R)—Y .i Gardiner(R)—Y I 41116 79 Legislator Information Worksheet General Information Legislator Name: District Address: Telephone: Fax: Mobile Phone: Email Address: Tallahassee Address Address: Telephone: Fax: Email Address: Website: Preferred mode of communication: Legislative Information Year Elected: Committees Appointments: Bills Sponsored/Co-Sponsored: Top Legislative Priorities: Staff Member Names, Titles: Vote History on: (This could be changed each session so it is time sensitive) Business Tax Receipts: Communication Services Tax: Pension Reform: Political Information Party Affiliation: Major Campaign Donors: Percent of Votes in most Recent Election: Campaign Platform (if different from legislative priorities): Legislative Outreach Notes Previous contacts with Legislator: How, when, why, outcome, follow-up: Misc. Information (Could repeat the list of commonalities here) Occupation: Spouse: 80 1 I Appendix C t Effective Advocacy I Strategies Worksheets 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 81 L t L t t t tNOTES: t 1 82 � EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY STRATEGIES - MEETINGS I WILL MAKE THIS STRATEGY DESCRIPTION WHEN TO PART OF MY IMPLEMENT ADVOCACY PLAN Invite your legislators to have coffee or lunch or meet them at their office (minimum three times each Before/During/After year). Session Invite your legislators to municipal events as your personal guest. Before/During/After Session Arrange a meeting between your legislators and the editor of your local newspaper. Before Session Invite your legislators to a council meeting—especially when you are discussing your budget or According to Council intergovernmental policy issues. Schedule Invite your legislators to meet with your senior staff to discuss in-depth what's happening in your city and Before/After Session specific challenges facing your community or to discuss project funding. If the League is sponsoring a roundtable discussion with your legislators, make sure to attend with your city Before/After Session manager. Invite your legislators to your regional league monthly meetings. Before/After Session Arrange a "meet-'n-greet" with key business leaders and/or community leaders in your city or when you Before/After Session meet with homeowners associations. Arrange a tour of thriving businesses in your city that have utilized any local business incentives. Before/After Session Immediately after session, schedule a one-on-one visit as soon as possible to talk privately about their After Session voting record and the impact new legislation will have on your city—See page 15 for advice on how to have this conversation. Participate in legislative delegation meetings. Before Session Attend events they sponsor or when they invite you. Before/During/After Session CO Go to fundraisers or events you know they will attend. Before/During/After W Session cA Invite your legislators to take a tour of your city—water treatment plants, community redevelopment Before/After Session areas, parks, public safety facilities, public works department, etc. Arrange for your legislators to meet with business owners who participate in any local vendor preferences. Before/After Session Sign up to serve on one of the Florida League of Cities' legislative policy committees. Before Session Host an advocacy training workshop for your council and invite neighboring cities to join you. Before Session Attend the Florida League of Cities Annual Conference and Legislative Conference. Before Session Invite your legislators to ribbon cuttings and grand openings for new businesses. Before/During/After Session If you give citizen awards, invite your legislators to attend the award presentation. Before/During/After Session Attend town hall meetings or legislative updates hosted by your legislators. During/After Session Arrange a meeting with your legislators' staffs if you don't know them or if they've hired a new employee. Before/During/After Staff members can be your greatest enemies or greatest allies when it's time to ask for your legislators' Session support or opposition on a bill. t EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY STRATEGIES - INFORMATION I WILL MAKE THIS STRATEGY DESCRIPTION WHEN TO PART OF MY IMPLEMENT ADVOCACY PLAN Personally give your legislators a copy of your annual budget, or at minimum a budget summary with line Before Session items highlighted that relate to potential legislation. If you offer incentives for new businesses, give your legislators a copy of what they are and make sure Before Session they know how they are/have been used and by whom. Offer to be a resource (or a member of your staff) for data and research of specific topics related to local Before/During/After government. Session Is your city just completing a major project? Make sure to keep your legislators informed of the status Before/During/After and give them a tour when it's completed. Session Offer to testify as an expert or write an opinion on a specific piece of legislation. Before/During Session Provide your legislators with an issue packet or report that highlights your city's and regional league's Before Session legislative priorities. Is your city getting ready to undertake a major infrastructure or redevelopment project and you need Before/After Session funding assistance? Keep your legislators apprised so they can assist you if necessary. or as needed Provide your legislators with statistics of potential legislative impact. Before/During Session Provide data and research to the Florida League of Cities lobbyists applicable to your city regarding Before/During Session known and potential legislation. If your city/town/village has a welcome guide for new residents, make sure to give your legislators a Before/After Session copy. Provide your legislators with an overview of activities occurring in your CRA (if applicable) and how you Before Session are using TIF funding. ovt What's happening in your community related to issues they care about? Be sure to share this information Before/During/After with your legislators and offer to keep them informed if and when the situation changes. Session co Prepare data for your legislators that highlight what makes your city, town or village unique. See page 17 Before Session for further details on what to include. Preempt a preemption. Promote transparency in government spending and operations in your Before/During/After municipality and make sure your legislators know you're doing so. Session • EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY STRATEGIES - COMMUNICATION I WILL MAKE THIS STRATEGY DESCRIPTION WHEN TO PART OF MY IMPLEMENT ADVOCACY PLAN Send a handwritten note to say "Thank you for your service" and "Welcome back to the district." After Session Call to say "Hello" or"How can I help you" and introduce yourself to their staff. Before Session Be sure your legislators are on your email distribution list to receive your city's (or your) newsletter and Before Session you are on theirs. Thank your legislators when they vote in support of cities and discreetly let them know you are aware During/After Session of when they don't. If your city and/or regional league supports one of their bills, pass a resolution and present it to them. Before Session Offer to write an article, op-ed or blog for your local paper if you support a bill they've sponsored and Before/During/After make sure they get a copy of what you have written. Session Send them articles of interest or links to websites when they are quoted and include a brief note. Before/During/After Session Send them a congratulatory note (or call them) after their successful election or re-election (even if you Before Session did not support them during the campaign). Use social media (Facebook,Twitter, and Linkedln) to keep up-to-date on their activities and post Before/During/After comments or"like" their status. Session Contact your legislators when you receive Legislative Alerts from the Florida League of Cities regarding During Session upcoming votes on legislation. Effectively communicate with your legislators your city/town/village's story about how potential Before/During Session legislation will impact your community. Offer to speak at business and/or civic organization meetings to give a legislative update and share how Before/During Session potential legislation will impact their business/organization and community. 00 Start a dialogue with local elected officials in neighboring communities through your regional leagues Before/During/After V to learn how you can work together on specific issues. Session EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY STRATEGIES - ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL Co I WILL MAKE THIS STRATEGY DESCRIPTION WHEN TO PART OF MY IMPLEMENT ADVOCACY PLAN Walk a precinct with your candidate of choice. Choose one with super voters and where you had/have Before the primary and strong support. general elections Become the point person for placement of campaign signs in your city for your candidate of choice. You Before the primary and know your city better than anyone and it's a great way to stay in constant communication with the general elections candidate or their campaign staff. Give financially as much as you can afford—MONEY TALKS. Before the primary and general elections Make phone calls for the candidate. Before the primary and general elections Host a fundraiser. Before the primary and general elections Schedule a day of meetings with key leaders in your community—meet in their homes, place of Before the primary and business or a local restaurant. general elections Offer your written, public endorsement. Before the primary and general elections Introduce them to the editor of your local newspaper. Before the primary and general elections Serve on a host committee for a fundraiser. Before the primary and general elections Provide them with a list of potential donors/supporters(with permission). Before the primary and general elections Attend and participate in a Candidate Forum or Candidate Open House in your region. Before the primary and general elections Attend fundraisers when invited. Before the primary and general elections Keep them informed of upcoming events in your city where they can meet potential Before the primary and donors/supporters. general elections Get involved in your industry association's political action committee or government affairs committee Before the primary and and participate in candidate interviews. general elections EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY STRATEGIES - HOW CAN I HELP YOU? I WILL MAKE THIS STRATEGY DESCRIPTION WHEN TO PART OF MY IMPLEMENT ADVOCACY PLAN Offer to serve as a municipal resource for data or review of legislation they are sponsoring or will be Before/During Session vetting in committee. Volunteer to serve on a task force or panel initiated by your legislators or volunteer to serve on the Before/During/After same if you know they are serving also. Session Get your legislators' contact information and give them yours. Make yourself available when needed. Before/During/After Session Publicly recognize your legislators for good deeds. During/After Session Send your legislators articles or links to articles or websites you know they would be interested in Before/During Session related to their goals and/or legislative priorities. If you become aware of how your legislators have helped one of your constituents, be sure to tell them Before/During/After "thank you." Session TREAT YOUR LEGISLATORS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED BY YOUR CONSTITUENTS. Before/During/After Session When you meet or talk with your legislators, no matter the discussion, always ask "How can I help Before/During/After you?" Session When they contact you for your opinion on an issue...RESPOND! Before/During/After Session Ask your legislators about their priorities for the upcoming session. If they don't negatively affect your Before Session community or Home Rule,facilitate meetings or share contacts with people you know who can help them achieve their priorities. ADVANCE ADVOCACY STRATEGIES FOR THE EXPERIENCED ADVOCATE I WILL MAKE THIS WHEN TO PART OF MY STRATEGY DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENT ADVOCACY PLAN Work with the Florida League of Cities issue lobbyist to draft bill language or proposed bill amendments. Before/During Session Volunteer to go on appointments with the Florida League of Cities lobbyist for a day as the local elected During Session official representing Florida's cities. Volunteer to serve as an issue expert for testimony at committee hearings. Before/During Session Volunteer to serve as the municipal expert on an issue task force authorized by the Legislature or the Before/During/After governor. Session Write an Advocacy Tip of the Month for the Florida League of Cities website. Before/During/After Session Provide the Florida League of Cities legislative staff with copies of letters, reports, data, emails, etc. that Before/During/After you have sent to your legislators. Session Volunteer to serve as chairman of one of the Florida League of Cities policy committees. Before Session Recruit other city officials to be part of the Florida League of Cities advocacy team. Before/During/After Session Volunteer to serve as an advocacy mentor to a newly elected local official. Before/During/After Session Prepare and submit a legislative report to council/commission colleagues for review and discussion of Before/During Session action plan. Talk with the publisher of your local newspaper and offer to write weekly op-ed articles to keep citizens During Session up-to-date on legislation affecting their community. Start a blog or Facebook page to inform citizens about pending legislation affecting their community. Before/During Session Volunteer to speak to civic and business organizations regarding pending legislation affecting your Before/During Session community and businesses. Volunteer to be the "point person" on your council/commission to provide regular legislative updates During Session during session. Initiate a grassroots Home Rule campaign in your community — See Strategy 7 on page 21 for more Before/After Session details. CD NOTES: 92 SIMIIIIIIIi 1 I Florida League of Cities Legislative Team I C. Scott Dudley Amber Hughes I ,;. Agit Director of Legislative Affairs (850)701-3656 Finance,Taxation and Personnel (850)701-3621 sdudley @flcities.com tit ahughes @flcities.com State and Federal Legislative Issues Finance and Taxation I Governmental Relations Revenues and Budgeting ' Insurance Personnel and Collective Bargaining I Workers'Compensation John Thomas Retirement/Pension Issues Director, Communications and Political Initiatives I (850)701-3626 Ryan Matthews jthomas @flcities.com Energy and Environmental Quality External Communications ^ (850)701-3692 Research and Resources _;" rmatthews @flcities.com I Media Relations Environmental Florida League of Mayors Energy �Y,i� Solid Waste Stormwater I Casey Cook Water Quality/Wastewater Al Urban Administration Water Supply/Policy (850)701-3609 ccook @flcities.com I Public/Highway Safety Ryan Padgett Building Code/Construction Transportation and Purchasing Intergovernmental Relations Ordinance/Code Enforcement ' (850)701-3616 - I Public Records and Public Meetings rpadgett@flcities.com Emergency Management Rights of Way Homeland Security Billboards Gaming Telecommunications General Utilities Transportation/Highway Safety Kraig Conn Annexation Pr Deputy General Counsel Charter Counties '" and Legislative Counsel t.;, -, Property Rights (850)701 3632 Tort Liability kconn @flcities.com Eminent Domain IState and Federal Legislative Issues Ethics/Elections Allison Payne I David Cruz Growth Management and Manager,Advocacy Programs and Federal Affairs Economic Development (850)701-3602 (850)701-3676 '' I apayne @flcities.com dcruz @flcities.com Federal Issues Community Redevelopment Advocacy Programs Economic Development Special Districts I Charter Schools Growth Management Affordable Housing/Foreclosures I 93 L I C I I t t t t 94 ` 1 A 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I Florida League of Cities ��Q,GUE p�C P.O. Box 1757 'VP S, to Tallahassee, FL 32302-1757 cc o z Phone: (850) 222-9684 +- % Fax: (850) 222-3806 Email: legislative @flcities.com al � ' www.floridaleagueofcities.com