HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004 01 12 Consent 21211 1204COMM FLC Resolution
COMMISSION AGENDA
ITEM 212
January 12, 2004
Meeting
Consent
X
Information
Public Hearin
Regular
MGR.1'f—�ept.
REQUEST: City Manager requesting the Commission to approve Resolution Number 2004-03
supporting Florida League of Cities Legislative Proposals.
PURPOSE: This agenda item is needed to support Legislative Proposals made by the Florida
League of Cities.
CONSIDERATION: The Florida League of Cities is requesting that all Florida cities pass a
Resolution in support of the League's Legislative Agenda for the up coming Legislative Session
and to forward them to the appropriate State officials.
FUNDING: None Required.
RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended that the Commission adopt Resolution Number
2004-03 supporting the Florida League of Cities Legislative Agenda for the upcoming
Legislative Session.
ATTACHMENTS: Resolution Number 2004-03.
COMMISSION ACTION:
RESOLUTION 2004-03
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS,
FLORIDA, URGING MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA
LEGISLATURE TO SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING MUNICIPAL
ISSUES DURING THE 2004 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
WHEREAS, legislation passed (HB 113A) during the 2003 Special
Session "A" that is the implementation of Article V, a 1998 constitutional
amendment, that requires the state to fund the county court system; and
WHEREAS, HB 113A prohibits state attorneys from appearing in
county courts for the purpose of prosecuting municipal ordinances; and
WHEREAS, the bill also prohibits a municipality from contracting with
a state attorney for the prosecution of municipal ordinances, and public
defenders will not be allowed to represent indigents charged with ordinance
violations; and
WHEREAS, HB 113A requires a filing fee of $200 for each code or
ordinance violation; and
WHEREAS, several cities enforce code enforcement through a
citation process, which are filed through the county court system; and
WHEREAS, many of the fines for these citations are less that half of
the proposed $200 filing fee, which would make the citation process
ineffective for code enforcement activities; and
WHEREAS, the intent of the Municipal Revenue Sharing hold
harmless provision in HB 113A was intended to not reduce any revenues
currently shared with municipalities; and
WHEREAS, clean drinking water is a precious resource that must be
adequately planned for to meet the needs of future growth in Florida; and
WHEREAS, cities are implementing several innovative methods to
assure an adequate supply of drinking water is available for its citizens; and
WHEREAS, efforts were made during the 2003 legislative session to
mandate that cities establish water conservation rate structures, impose
drought rates, require submetering in apartment buildings or condos,
mandate statewide irrigation standards, implement "informative billing" and
meter reclaimed water; and
WHEREAS, municipalities would be negatively impacted by legislation
mandating conservation measures on a "one size fits all" approach and many
of the conservation measures being considered had no demonstrable
conservation benefit but will be very expensive to implement; and
WHEREAS, the geographic emphasis and restrictive nature of
Florida's current annexation policy has negatively impacted Florida's
municipalities by inhibiting their economic vitality, creating inefficient service
delivery and subsidizing urban sprawl; and
WHEREAS, the current law has actually made it more difficult for
municipalities to provide municipal services in the urbanizing areas in
comparison to counties and special districts; and
WHEREAS, Florida's tremendous population growth and inflexible
annexation policies causes disruption in historical service delivery
responsibilities and results in a continuous conflict and inefficiencies in the
financing and delivery of many local public services.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF WINTER
SPRINGS, FLORIDA:
Section 1. That the City of Winter Springs urges Governor Jeb Bush
and members of the Florida Legislature to support legislation that:
Preserves the authority of individual local governments to
determine and implement the specific water conservation
measures required under a water use permit, and which
preserves a local government's control over reclaimed water that
is created by the local government.
Section 2. That the City of Winter Springs urges Governor Jeb Bush
and members of the Florida Legislature to support legislation that:
Allows municipalities to contract for the services of public
defenders and state attorneys to enforce local ordinances; and
Eliminates the fee schedule for the enforcement of municipal
code or ordinance violations.
Provides a modification of the distribution formula for revenues
transferred from the Half -Cent Sales Tax Program to the Revenue
Sharing Trust Fund for Municipalities.
Section 3. That the City of Winter Springs urges Governor Jeb Bush
and members of the Florida Legislature to support legislation that:
Strengthens the ability of municipalities to eliminate all enclaves
regardless of size or use, and provides reasonable procedures to
expeditiously annex areas that are contiguous to their
boundaries.
Section 4. That a copy of this resolution shall be provided to Governor
Jeb Bush, Senate President Jim King, House Speaker Johnnie Byrd and
member of the Florida Legislature.
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA
This Day of 2004.
John F. Bush, Mayor
ATTEST:
Andrea Lorenzo-Luaces, City Clerk