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Home My WebLink AboutCity of Tamarac Resolution R-2007-194Temp. Reso. # 11329 — December 3, 2007 Page 1 CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA RESOLUTION NO. R-2007,/q' A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE CITY OF TAMARAC LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE 2008 LEGISLATIVE SESSION; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO SEND A COPY OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE 2008 LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO THE BROWARD COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND THE BROWARD COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR CONSIDERATION; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City of Tamarac is located in Broward County, Florida; and WHEREAS, the City of Tamarac takes an active role in commenting on Federal, State, and local legislation that may affect the City of Tamarac and its residents; and WHEREAS, the City of Tamarac has developed a Legislative Agenda for the 2008 Legislative Session outlining the City's position on particular legislative issues; and WHEREAS, the City Manager recommends that the City of Tamarac Legislative Agenda for the 2008 Legislative Session be forwarded to the Broward County Legislative Delegation and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners for consideration; and 1 Temp. Reso. # 11329 — December 3, 2007 Page 2 WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida deems it to be in the best interest of the citizens and residents of the City of Tamarac to approve the City of Tamarac Legislative Agenda for the 2008 Legislative Session and forward a copy of the City of Tamarac Legislative Agenda for the 2008 Legislative Session to the Broward County Legislative Delegation and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners for consideration. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA; SECTION 1: The foregoing Whereas clauses are hereby ratified and confirmed as being true and correct and are hereby made a specific part of this resolution upon adoption hereof. SECTION 2: That the City of Tamarac Legislative Agenda for the 2008 Legislative Session (attached hereto as "Exhibit A") is hereby approved. SECTION 3: That the City Clerk of the City of Tamarac is hereby directed to send a copy of the City of Tamarac Legislative Agenda for the 2008 Legislative Session to the Broward County Legislative Delegation and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners for consideration. SECTION 4: All resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. SECTION 5: If any clause, section, other part or application of this Resolution is held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or invalid, in part or application, it shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions or applications of this Resolution. I J Temp. Reso. # 11329 — December 3, 2007 Page 3 SECTION 6: This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption. PASSED, ADOPTED AND APPROVED this /Ay of , 2007. ATTEST: MARION SWENSON, CIVIC CITY CLERK I HEREBY CERTIFY that I have approved this RESOLUTION as to form. RECORD OF COMMISSION VOTE: MAYOR FLANSBAUM-TALABISCO DIST 1: COMM. PORTNER DIST 2: COMM. ATKINS-GRA DIST 3: V/M SULTANOF DIST 4: COMM. DRESSLER 1 1 1 EXHIBIT A CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA 001- E O �I FEW 2008 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Beth Flansbaum-Talabisco, Mayor Marc L. Sultanof, Vice Mayor Patricia Atkins -Grad, Commissioner Harry Dressler, Commissioner Edward C. Portner, Commissioner Jeffrey L. Miller, City Manager Samuel Goren, City Attorney December 2008 No Text The City of Tamarac Supports the preservation of Home Rule and Opposes legislation which seeks to diminish the powers afforded local government. Home rule is based upon the time tested premise that the government closest to the people is the authority best positioned to serve the needs of the community. The right of the people to utilize a grass roots approach to determine public needs, public purpose and implement programs accordingly is an important democratic principal. Home rule powers are conferred to local government by both the Florida Constitution and Florida Statutes. The preservation of this key democratic concept and the ability it grants municipalities to develop community based solutions to community based issues is essential to the provision of good government. The City of Tamarac Supports legislation that recognizes the costs associated with requirements placed on local government by that legislation and therefore appropriates funds to cover those costs. In the wake of Tax Reform, local governments throughout Florida are facing shortfalls. Many have cut services previously provided to residents in order to balance budgets. The placement of mandates on local governments without adequate funding, serves to displace other essential governmental priorities. The fiscal impact of legislation must be analyzed and a funding source provided in order to avoid further impacting essential services. The City of Tamarac, Florida, supports equity in property taxation. Providing a predictable and stable tax base should be addressed by the Legislature after careful consideration of all information and input from interested parties, including the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission. Save Our Homes provides a significant tax break for homeowners with a homestead exemption by limiting tax increases. However, the overall annual cost of providing public services has increasingly exceeded the three percent cap provided by Save Our Homes. These rising costs are fueled by the impacts of growth, mandates, fuel, construction materials, and insurance, as well as a tight labor market that is driving up salaries. As a result, the burden to pay for public services has shifted over time toward new homeowners, non -homesteaded and commercial properties. This tax shifting and re -valuing at the time of home sale has further contributed to the housing affordability crisis in Florida. Homeowners enjoying the benefit of Save Our Homes face sticker shock when trying to No Text purchase a new home because they have been insulated from the full effect of increased property valuations. Similarly, new homeowners can't afford to buy first homes because the taxes are high. Moreover, there are unequal and very disproportionate taxes paid for similar properties in the same jurisdiction and often in the same neighborhood. The City of Tamarac, Florida, supports legislation authorizing that premium tax revenue may be used to pay for current police and fire pension benefits. Taxes on insurance premiums are used to fund a small portion of police officer and firefighter pension benefits. Prior to 1999 these premium tax revenues were levied for the purpose of funding a benefit level to police officers and firefighters at a higher level than general employees in recognition of the additional risk associated by these professions. Legislation approved in 1999 mandated that this revenue source may only be used to fund "extra benefits" that exceed the then current level of benefits for that bargaining unit. "Extra benefits" was legislatively determined to mean benefits greater than the benefits currently being provided, thereby mandating that benefits be further increased. This legislation did not recognize the escalating cost of pension benefits already being provided, and does not permit those revenues to be used to offset those increasing costs. Instead, the revenues can only be used to fund additional new benefits. The City of Tamarac, Florida, supports legislation authorizing additional funding for Alternate Water Supply (AWS) Projects, and opposes legislation that creates Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) oversight of public water/wastewater utilities. In 2005, Senate Bill 444 provided ten years of funding assistance for AWS projects. This funding needs to be broadened to include additional money for water conservation projects, AWS research, and feasibility studies. Local authorities for water and wastewater utilities need to maintain oversight of utility rates to meet the individual needs of each community, without FPSC intervention. No Text